PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, right leg disability, and pulmonary embolism due to inconsistencies in reported stressors and conflicting medical opinions. Additional development is needed to verify a specific suicide stressor and obtain new nexus opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible statements regarding in-service stressors and a private medical opinion linking his current conditions to service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, left ear disability, back pain, neck pain, left arm disability, right arm disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The issues have been remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the July 2015 rating decision. However, the issue is remanded as another VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea are granted. The Board has determined that new evidence received since the final February 2015 rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, but both issues must be remanded due to lack of updated medical records and need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is related to his service. The claim will be further evaluated after the examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. The claim for a 70% disability rating for PTSD from April 26, 2016 to January 11, 2018 is also granted.,The Board has determined that the earlier effective date request for the 70% PTSD rating should be remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left knee condition, and bilateral pes planus have been reopened. The appeal regarding TDIU is dismissed. The appeals for service connection are remanded due to new and material evidence having been submitted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective July 3, 2018. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating as they resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas but did not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD has been granted, with the effective date being October 23, 2015. The Veteran also received service connection for sleep apnea and his right ear hearing loss was granted on appeal.

The reduction of the Veteran's PTSD rating from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective January 1, 2019 was improper and has been restored.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tinnitus, and hearing loss, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for PTSD and low back disability, as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to April 16, 2017. The RO is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been shown to be productive of total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions and awarded SMC at the housebound rate due to his combined disability rating of 80 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder precludes him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, leading to a TDIU effective April 20, 2017.,SMC at the 's' rate is granted due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities combining to 60 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria and there is insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that he was unemployable due to these conditions. The decision also notes that the Veteran does not have any physical limitations preventing him from working.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation of 50 percent for PTSD is granted, but his request for a higher evaluation or reopening the issue due to new evidence is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and cataracts, as well as service connection for a respiratory condition, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims posthumously.