PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating, effective February 12, 2018. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development of his service treatment records and failure to verify his in-service stressor. The VA is directed to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from Florence VA clinic, and to attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported in-service stressor.

The Board has determined that the current rating decision is not final and requires further development to ensure proper consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of adenocarcinoma of the prostate are granted a rating of 60 percent, effective January 29, 2020.,For the period prior to December 31, 2020, the Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is granted a rating of 30 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD due to Military Sexual Trauma and also granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD with unspecified depression prior to January 24, 2017, was denied as there is no evidence of a prior application or intent to file.,The Veteran's PTSD disability rating prior to January 6, 2020, was denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to December 5, 2022 and denied for a rating in excess of 70% thereafter. Other service-connected issues are also remanded.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand are granted as secondary to his service-connected right hand condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, depressive disorder, and secondary polysubstance use disorder is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and MDD, were not incurred in or related to service. The evidence did not support a finding of an in-service stressor for PTSD, and there was no credible supporting evidence of other in-service events causing the current diagnoses.

The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for blindness, including light perception only, and left leg condition have been denied. The claim for acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as PTSD) is being remanded to obtain more information about the in-service stressor and toxic exposure.,The Veteran's claim for dyspnea has also been remanded to determine if there was an in-service exposure event.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because his combined schedular evaluation for service-connected disabilities is 100%, but he does not have a single disability rated at least 60% disabling or two or more disabilities each rated at least 40% and the combined rating of those disabilities is at least 70%. The Veteran's unemployability is due to his PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU is denied as the earliest effective date is May 17, 2016.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on housebound criteria is also denied as there is no evidence of a single disability rated at 100% or additional disabilities rated at 60% prior to June 17, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The specific conditions at issue are an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, left hand disability, and liver disorder (claimed as liver transplant).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with schizophrenia, cannabis use disorder, bipolar disorder, and unspecified anxiety disorder was granted effective December 20, 2022. The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease, hiatal hernia, migraines and migraine variants, right knee chondromalacia and medial meniscus tear, and rheumatoid arthritis (presumed due to Agent Orange exposure), prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain and left ankle strain are found to have caused his right knee arthritis.,VA is remanding the claims for service connection for a left foot disability, PTSD, and headaches.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a generalized anxiety disorder is denied as it is considered part of his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 70 percent rating, but no higher. His bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than February 28, 2023 for the grant of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The Veteran contends he is unemployable due to his service-connected conditions and submitted a private psychological assessment indicating he would be precluded from gainful employment without excessive accommodations.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is currently rated at 50 percent from February 19, 2020.