PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including breathing disorder, back disorder, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral knee disorder, heart disorder, painful joints, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, obesity, vision disorder, intestinal disorder, and sleep apnea. The Board also notes that no presumptive service connection is being considered for any of the conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 4, 2017.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal includes a request for an increased rating for PTSD and depressive disorder, as well as the propriety of reducing his disability rating from 100 percent to 30 percent. Both issues are being remanded due to incomplete consideration in previous decisions.

The Veteran's PTSD has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the appropriate disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD because there is no current diagnosis of PTSD that conforms to DSM-5 criteria.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional records and potential inextricability with another issue.

Your claim for service connection for PTSD has been fully granted, and the appeal is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further consideration of his TDIU claim due to the complexity and need for additional evidence.

Prior to November 7, 2020, an initial rating greater than 50 percent for PTSD and major depressive disorder was denied. From November 7, 2020 onwards, a 100 percent rating for PTSD and major depressive disorder is granted.,After November 7, 2020, the claim of entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) prior to that date was dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of notification for a VA psychiatric examination, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability is still pending.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating prior to September 5, 2019. From September 5, 2019, to October 23, 2022, the Veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The compensable rating for PFB is remanded. TDIU and compensation for PTSD prior to October 24, 2022 are also remanded.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder to include sleep disturbance for the period prior to June 24, 2022, finding that the Veteran's symptoms have manifested as violent, aggressive, and destructive behavior, accompanied by auditory and visual hallucinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with anxiety, did not begin during or is otherwise causally related to active service, specifically his time stationed on border patrol in Germany.

The Board has remanded the case due to discrepancies in the record and need for further clarification regarding the Veteran's ability to obtain suitable employment with his additional service-connected disabilities. The VRC is instructed to provide a supplemental opinion addressing these issues.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 100 percent prior to September 20, 2013 and from February 14, 2020, to November 14, 2022. The rating of 30 percent from September 20, 2013, to February 13, 2020, was denied.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for PTSD has been granted. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD and a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, finding that his symptoms did not warrant higher ratings based on the severity of his mental health conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as it is unclear whether the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II caused or aggravated his sleep apnea. The examiner must provide an opinion on this issue.