PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, MDD, GAD, and insomnia have been granted. The Board found sufficient credible supporting evidence to establish the Veteran's in-service stressor events and concluded that her current diagnoses are related to these events.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, are remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered with consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing records and incomplete information. The Veteran's TDIU claim is being returned for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for clarification of symptoms attributable to his post-concussive-type syndrome and TBI, as well as their severity.,A new medical examination with a neurologist will be required to address all symptomatology set forth in the most recent Board directives.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of March 23, 2017 for the Veteran's PTSD rating to 70 percent. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a bladder disability other than prostatitis, and a liver disability due to insufficient evidence on file. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his PTSD prior to May 3, 2021 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment earlier than May 3, 2021.

The Board is remanding the case to reconsider the reduction of service-connected depression and PTSD from 100 percent to 50 percent disabling, effective February 1, 2018.

The Board has found that the Veteran's PTSD symptoms have worsened and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his condition. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD rating issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of September 13, 2012. The Board has remanded the issue for referral to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular TDIU consideration from January 9, 2012, to September 13, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection for PTSD, finding that no communication or evidence following a final September 2012 rating decision and prior to September 29, 2016, may be interpreted as an informal or formal claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient research into the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor event. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and the issue was previously denied by the RO and then by the Board. The VA needs to verify the event that allegedly occurred during his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be less severe than the criteria for a higher rating prior to February 10, 2017. The TDIU claim was also denied as of July 12, 2021.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and TDIU due to service-connected disability. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder (subthreshold PTSD), is granted. However, the Veteran's bipolar disorder is denied.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.,For the period prior to September 7, 2021, the Veteran's left knee DJD with patellofemoral syndrome was rated at 10 percent. From March 1, 2022, the rating has been denied as there is no evidence of a higher disability.,The Veteran's left knee replacement from June 15, 2018 to September 7, 2021, received a separate 10 percent rating for instability. From March 1, 2022, the Veteran's left knee replacement has been denied as there is no evidence of higher disability.,The Veteran's PTSD was granted at a 70 percent rating from June 15, 2018 to September 7, 2021. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for a higher rating of PTSD, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.

The Veteran's claim for reopening service connection for a cervical spine disorder was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The case is remanded for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from August 18, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the August 2020 VA psychiatric examination and medical opinion, as well as incomplete verification of the Veteran's claimed stressor. The AOJ is required to obtain additional evidence and opinions on service connection for PTSD and bilateral foot disability.