PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at a 50 percent from October 12, 2011 to July 20, 2014. From July 21, 2014, the rating was increased to 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient and conflicting information about the Veteran's vending business, which was not fully developed. The Veteran is required to provide updated evidence regarding his role in the vending company and its impact on his service-connected disabilities.

Your claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted, but the appeal is dismissed because you withdrew your request for a hearing.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and an adjustment disorder, is remanded due to the need for further development regarding stressor verification and a VA examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder and PTSD, are granted as service connected. Service connection for PTSD is denied due to lack of a medical link.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for PTSD and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD prior to June 25, 2019, establishment of basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance prior to June 25, 2019, and entitlement to TDIU prior to June 25, 2019, have all been dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is dismissed because there is no basis for a free-standing earlier effective date claim from matters addressed in a final and binding rating decision.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to his in-service military sexual trauma (MST), and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, gastrointestinal condition (GERD), cervical condition, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition are all denied. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is granted.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's tinnitus as it manifested within one year of his separation from active service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with TBI residuals require the aid and attendance of another person without which he would need hospitalization, nursing home care, or other residential institutional care. The Board granted SMC(t) effective September 28, 2021.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection of post-traumatic stress disorder, an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and a skin disability due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of thoracolumbar strain, migraine headaches, allergic rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and PTSD with major depressive disorder (MDD) have been denied. The most recent evaluation for thoracolumbar strain is 40 percent disabling, while the other conditions remain at their initial evaluations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 13, 2022, for service connection for PTSD. The decision found that the earliest date for the Veteran's PTSD is April 13, 2022, and that neither the Veteran nor his representative have argued a clear and unmistakable error (CUE) occurred in any prior rating decisions.

The Veteran's request for higher-level review of his claims was timely filed. The AOJ must now review the underlying claims and provide a decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a predecisional duty to assist error regarding TDIU. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was not properly developed and adjudicated by the RO, so they need to request necessary documents from the Social Security Administration and send the Veteran an application form.

The appeal for revisions of VA rating decisions on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) to grant service connection for PTSD and a left ear injury is dismissed. The AOJ has not yet addressed these theories.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining relevant treatment records and verifying a claimed stressor event. The Veteran's current non-PTSD psychiatric conditions are also being evaluated for their relationship to service.

Your claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted in a previous decision, so there is no remaining question to be decided by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, has been reopened and granted. The claims for a compensable disability rating for the residual(s) of amputation of the left ring finger and initial compensable evaluation for scarring of the left ring finger are remanded.