PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total social and occupational impairment, leading to a grant of a 100 percent rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an opinion from a VA examiner regarding her current diagnoses and their relation to her service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of PTSD was denied, and the TDIU claim was granted effective August 1, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation and consideration of his claims related to right knee, left knee (post-surgical intervention), PTSD, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further action on several issues, including PTSD ratings and compensation claims. Specific actions required include obtaining SSA records and issuing a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination and etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The examiner must determine if these conditions are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, TBI, and left knee chondromalacia with surgical repair, have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to January 19, 2012. The Board has granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The appeal for service connection for left upper extremity diabetic neuropathy is dismissed. The appeal for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD with TBI prior to June 10, 2019, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the appeal due to incomplete documentation regarding Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The Veteran may receive SSDI for one or more conditions, but the specific condition(s) is/are unclear.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher rating. The current 50% rating is maintained.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence. The cases are now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the need for regular aid and attendance, which meets the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's PTSD diagnosis.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50% from May 31, 2017, to April 15, 2019. The rating was increased to 70% from April 16, 2019, to November 25, 2019, and then temporarily raised to 100% from November 26, 2019, to December 9, 2019. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a disability rating greater than 50 percent for his bilateral hearing loss, and he is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, effective November 5, 2018.,Compensable ratings for hyperpigmentation of the left arm, right arm, and upper back are denied.,There is no service connection granted on a presumptive basis (e.g., PACT Act, Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune).,The Veteran's appeal does not involve exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War Syndrome, or any other specific exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 5, 2020 for the award of service connection for sleep apnea is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 17, 2020 for a 50% rating for PTSD is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors for PTSD. The Veteran is still eligible for service connection, but further development is needed to confirm these events occurred.