PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for joint pain and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient examination findings and lack of clear reasoning in the November 2017 VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The original grant of service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder remains in effect.,An effective date earlier than July 29, 2016 cannot be granted as it would predate the receipt of the claim to reopen.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and determined that his current diagnoses of PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, and alcohol use disorder are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for headaches, a higher rating for PTSD, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are being sent back to the AOJ for review of new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, alcohol abuse disorder, unspecified personality disorder, and major depressive disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to withdrawal by the appellant. The appeals for service connection for a psychiatric disability and a right thumb disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed bilateral eye disability and to provide a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) examination.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and outstanding medical records have not been properly addressed, and thus these matters are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU during the period prior to June 19, 2012. However, due to his combined 100% disability rating from June 19, 2012, to May 26, 2017, and October 14, 2019, TDIU is not warranted based on the schedular criteria. The Veteran's file should be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, rhinitis/sinusitis, stroke, blood clots in the left eye, chest pains, and hypertension are denied. The claim for service connection for PFB is also denied since June 27, 2014. A rating of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss is granted effective November 13, 2016.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, has been granted a rating of 70 percent from October 16, 2015. Additionally, the Veteran was granted TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss and PTSD due to exposure to friendly fire in Vietnam. The claim for burn scars of the hands related to agent orange exposure is also remanded.,The VA will attempt to verify the appellant's reported stressor for his PTSD claim, and a new examination will be scheduled to determine if any current mental health condition is related to service.,A VA examiner will review the claims file and provide an opinion on whether the appellant's burn scars are related to or incurred during his period of active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her back disability and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded multiple times. The case is being returned to the Board due to incomplete development, including missing examination notification letters.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD (including major depressive disorder), multiple myeloma, and leukemia due to lack of credible evidence supporting his claimed in-service stressors and inability to establish a valid diagnosis based on these events.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and alcohol abuse disorder have precluded him from maintaining substantially gainful employment throughout the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, due to a lack of proper procedural steps in the appeal process.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and medical opinion regarding PTSD. Another VA PTSD examination is needed, and a new request should be submitted to NARA for information on a service member's death by self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for a right ankle strain is remanded due to the need for additional examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there are issues with exposure basis and noise exposure during military service.