PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

Your appeals for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and skin cancer lesions with painful scarring have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are now closed.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient opinions regarding all diagnosed conditions and incomplete service personnel records.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD starting March 1, 2020 is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is denied. The claims for service connection for a right shoulder injury and migraines are remanded.

The Board denied the appellant's eligibility for direct payment of attorney fees from benefits resulting from the September 2019 grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The TDIU was granted in response to an initial claim for TDIU filed by the Veteran, and not as part of an appeal or reconsideration of prior decisions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding the aggravation prong of secondary service connection and direct service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, OSA secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder, and entitlement to a TDIU have been granted. The claim for service connection has been remanded due to the need for another VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and sinusitis. As such, these claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for VR&E services, including self-employment assistance, should be remanded due to deficiencies in the initial evaluation and lack of consideration of whether self-employment is a suitable vocational goal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other specified trauma, was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement. The claim for tinnitus was granted. The claims for thyroid disability and migraine disability are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD and Malignant Melanoma claims are remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current skin cancers.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD with depression). The issue of secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD was evaluated at a 30 percent rating, and the Board found that his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The reduction of the Veteran's PTSD rating from 70 to 50 percent was found to be improper, and his original 70 percent rating is restored.,The Veteran's PTSD symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle condition but has remanded the claim of entitlement to an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Board has vacated a previous decision and remanded the case due to failure to provide proper notice of an updated VA examination at the Veteran's correct address. The Veteran is entitled to a new examination, confirmation of all applicable psychiatric diagnoses, and etiological opinions regarding each diagnosis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for PTSD, but remanded several other issues due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU and SMC is remanded due to the need for further development, including a review of her employment history since March 2018 and an extraschedular evaluation of whether her service-connected migraine headaches alone prevent her from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for depression but remanded the claim for PTSD due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed Obstructive Sleep Disorder (OSA) is secondary to his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for OSA on a secondary basis.