PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The appeal for increased ratings remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms do not cause total occupational and social impairment, so the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are being remanded due to procedural issues. The effective date for the reduction from a 70% to a 50% rating for PTSD is also under review.

The Veteran's PTSD with opioid dependence is rated at 50 percent prior to December 18, 2019 and denied for a higher rating. After December 18, 2019, the Veteran was granted a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the unverified nature of his claimed in-service stressor.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, depression, OCD, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder. The Board found that the Veteran had current diagnoses of these conditions and established a causal link to his in-service stressors.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the previous rating decision, and thus, further development is needed.

The Veteran's left hip disability, TBI rating, and effective date for TDIU are being remanded due to procedural errors.,Specifically, the August 2019 opinion by a VA examiner was not considered in the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, effective from January 2, 2004. This decision is based on new military personnel records that were not previously associated with the claims file at the time of the initial denial in August 2004.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining treatment records from Dr. K. and a non-VA female doctor.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted from May 8, 2014 to January 14, 2016 due to his service-connected disabilities. However, the issue of entitlement to TDIU from January 14, 2016 is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's initial claim for PTSD was denied in October 2015, but service connection was granted with an effective date of August 27, 2018. The Veteran is currently rated at a 50% disability rating for PTSD as of August 4, 2023.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as there was no new and relevant evidence received subsequent to the February 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to July 6, 2017.,From July 6, 2017 to September 12, 2017, the Veteran received a 70 percent rating for PTSD due to persistent suicidal ideation and other symptoms of reduced reliability and productivity.,From January 1, 2018 to May 1, 2019, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent based on his current symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with dissociative symptoms and persistent depressive disorder was also denied due to the lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected based on a confirmed in-service stressor.,Service connection for lumbosacral strain is granted, with the opinion being approximately evenly balanced.,Service connection for residuals of head injury (TBI, headaches, and blurry vision) is remanded due to inadequate medical examination.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 29, 2015 for the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for her left hip disability and service connection for psychiatric disabilities and drug addiction is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor occurred, specifically involving being shot at or rocks thrown at him during his time in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.