PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has found that the case does not involve the reopening of a disallowed claim, and thus the proper effective date is either the date the ABCMR received the Veteran's application for upgrade or the date of receipt of the initial claim for service connection. The Board needs to obtain the application for upgrade and any evidence documenting its receipt by the ABCMR.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation of the Veteran's TBI, migraine, depression, and PTSD.

The Veteran's sinus disability is granted, and he receives an initial noncompensable disability rating for his bilateral varicocele. His claims for joint pain, throat condition, back disability, irritable bowel syndrome, and posttraumatic stress disorder with traumatic brain injury residuals of tension headaches and vertigo are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, claimed as due to Military Sexual Trauma (MST), finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is related to his reported MST during service.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD and a TDIU due to unresolved procedural and evidentiary issues.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for PTSD and hypertension, denied service connection for various conditions including hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, low testosterone, chronic fatigue syndrome, left facial injury, Dercum's Disease, skin disability, neurological disability, and sleep disability. The claim for a 70 percent rating for PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was denied because the evidence did not support a link between his current headaches and active service. His claim for TDIU prior to September 25, 2015 was also denied as he had multiple service-connected disabilities that did not preclude his employability.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that the January 2009 rating decision did not contain clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The claim was denied as new evidence submitted in 2008 did not relate to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating of more than 70 percent prior to September 11, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include posttraumatic stress disorder and thoracotomy residuals and scar due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service. The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bone spur of the right foot. The claims for left lower extremity neuropathy, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and residuals of a right hand fifth metacarpal fracture are remanded due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted prior to November 26, 2021. From that date, the Veteran's PTSD/MDD alone qualifies for a grant of TDIU and SMC based on housebound status.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, reopening the previously denied claim. The Veteran's PTSD and alcohol use disorder are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and adjustment disorder, has been reopened. However, the Board found insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship between his current symptoms and his military service, thus denying this claim.

The Board has remanded the issue of TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to January 21, 2010 due to inextricably intertwined issues with other pending appeals. The appellant's employment history and income from calendar years 2005 through 2010 need to be verified.

The Veteran's compensation for service-connected schizoaffective disorder was withdrawn due to his election of federal workers' compensation payments. The VA cannot distinguish the effects of schizoaffective disorder from PTSD, making it impossible to receive both types of compensation.

Service connection for hypertension is granted under the PACT Act. An initial 70 percent rating for an acquired psychiatric disability, from February 24, 2011 to the present, is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to October 12, 2013 prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for effective dates earlier than December 28, 2015, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD, a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, and entitlement to TDIU.