PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been rated at 70 percent from September 7, 2017 to October 7, 2018. The effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD prior to September 8, 2020 is denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating of 70 percent or higher.,From September 8, 2020 onwards, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms are considered to be at least 70 percent disabling, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the prior November 2022 remand and further development is necessary for both Parkinson's disease and psychiatric disability claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and medical opinions regarding his PTSD with MDD from June 20, 2015, to June 2, 2018, and right knee instability prior to December 29, 2016, and thereafter. The Veteran's claims are also being remanded for clarification of the terms of applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection of a low back disability has been granted. The Board finds that the evidence received since the December 2016 rating decision is new and material, thus reopening the claim. However, the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for PTSD, seborrheic dermatitis with tinea manuum and tinea pedis (claimed as rash of hands and feet), and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations or information.

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU prior to April 7, 2022 is remanded due to incomplete employment information from the Oregon Institute of Technology and Portland VAMC. The AOJ must obtain this information as part of their review.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to discrepancies in employment status and the need for SSA records. Further information is required regarding his employment history and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, despite meeting the schedular criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for PTSD since September 8, 2016 and SMC under statutory 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) effective from the date of his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Veteran's pterygium issue remains remanded as requested by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for PTSD and MDD, as well as headaches. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to incomplete employment history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.,Service connection for sleep apnea has been granted based on continuity of symptomatology since active service and credible lay testimony from the Veteran regarding his symptoms during service.,The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 70 percent disabling throughout the appeal period, with occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, impaired impulse control, and inability to establish effective relationships.,Service connection for back disability, including DDD and thoracic muscle spasms, has been remanded. The Veteran reported injuries during basic physical training (PT) and combat fitness training, but STRs are silent on these claims.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy have also been remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for urinary incontinence has not been addressed, as it was not part of his original appeal.,Further development is needed to clarify the Veteran's periods of qualifying service and verify any injuries reported during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 11, 2017 for the assignment of a 100 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder, insomnia disorder, and traumatic brain injury is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence submitted since the May 2017 rating decision. The Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is linked to his reported in-service stressors, and he meets the criteria for a DSM-V diagnosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, due to military sexual trauma (MST), is remanded as the VA examination report was vague and without proper medical support or explanation. The examiner failed to identify or address any possible markers during the Veteran's service that would corroborate the Veteran's claimed stressor.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD. The claims are now remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Dysthymia has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had a personal assault in-service which led to his current mental health conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The examiner is instructed to determine if the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service and whether he experienced any stressors during service that could support a PTSD diagnosis.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus was denied, and he is currently receiving TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability evaluation for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is remanded. The TDIU claim remains pending and will be readjudicated after an updated examination.