PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are related to his service and if they caused or contributed to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability alone did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board found that the unemployability is caused by nonservice-connected disabilities such as diabetes, which rendered the Veteran unable to work.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to July 21, 2016, and at 70 percent from July 21, 2016, to February 12, 2020. The claim for a TDIU since November 20, 2017, remains pending.,The Veteran's PTSD was characterized by symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, chronic sleep impairment, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, and difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded for further examination and opinion.,The Veteran's left ankle strain, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, and right shoulder strain with degenerative arthritis are also being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer residuals, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, have caused him to be unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a right knee condition are remanded due to the need for further examination and evidence collection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service, has been granted. The claims for other conditions have been reopened and are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability (including Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder), and OSA.,There is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric condition during or related to active service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure. The appeal for TDIU prior to July 7, 2009 is dismissed as moot.

From June 3, 2016, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms are best described as manifesting by total occupational and social impairment. His PTSD is rated at a maximum of 100 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives, and a new examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on several service-connected disabilities has been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.,An earlier effective date claim for DEA benefits was dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for PTSD and has also granted his claims for service connection for depressive and panic disorders. The evidence supports finding that these conditions are related to events during his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions for the service connection claims are inadequate, requiring further remand to obtain additional medical evidence and opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to August 8, 2022, did not meet the criteria for a higher than 50 percent disability rating due to insufficient occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was denied. The Board found that there is no current TBI and the lay reports were not competent to establish the existence of a current disability. For the issue of total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 14, 2015, the Veteran's combined schedular disability rating did not meet the minimum requirements for consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to September 14, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to procedural issues, including the use of an incorrect appeal form. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD remains under review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.,Service connection for Hepatitis C and Skin Cancer are remanded due to outstanding STRs and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD from July 28, 2016, finding that the Veteran's symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as service-connected.,A 50% rating for migraine headaches is granted.,Service connection for PTSD is remanded due to lack of evidence.,An initial rating in excess of 10% for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle is remanded.