PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remands and inadequate examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, are being reviewed again for proper service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a DRO hearing.

The Board has decided that remand is required due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for VA treatment records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including other specified trauma and stressor related disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, is related to service. Sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are not related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee pain and dysfunction, low back pain and dysfunction, left wrist pain and dysfunction, PTSD, and MDD. The conditions are deemed to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left ankle sprain was dismissed. Service connection for MDD and PTSD was granted, but service connection for lumbosacral strain was denied.

The Board has found that a remand is warranted to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and obtain additional information from the Veteran concerning his stressors and in-service injuries. A VA examination will be scheduled for the Veteran to determine if any of his claimed psychiatric disabilities had their onset during service or are otherwise etiologically related to such service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD as the December 2018 decision is final and no new evidence or arguments have been presented to challenge it.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD disability renders her unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, leading the Board to grant a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, personality disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder, has been granted.,A 10 percent evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 based on multiple, noncompensable, service-connected disabilities prior to March 23, 2023, is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent initial rating, effective October 20, 2017. The appeal for higher ratings or an increased TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's period of service from June 2002 to July 2005 is considered dishonorable due to a serious offense, resulting in an OTH discharge. The appeal for PTSD and anxiety/depression service connection has been denied.,There was no removal of the bar to VA benefits via an upgrade to the Veteran's character of discharge or evidence showing he was insane at the time of his offenses.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and paranoid schizophrenia, has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in August 2023.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder has been rated at 70 percent disabling, effective May 21, 2015.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The appeals for lumbar spine disability, hepatitis C, and sleep disorder are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to bilateral hand-twitching, tinnitus, or PTSD that would warrant an increase in rating. The Veteran was granted TDIU based on her PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence received since the last decision, including VA treatment records and examination reports. The AOJ should review all of this evidence before readjudicating the claims.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD related to service, and the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding his claims of service connection and increased rating for PTSD, as well as other issues.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, as well as his TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran needs to undergo another VA audiological examination for his hearing loss and a new VA examination for his PTSD. Additionally, the RO must obtain any outstanding treatment records and verify the Veteran's employment history.