PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his exhibitionist disorder and cocaine use disorder, as well as determining his periods of incarceration since June 23, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to duty to assist errors, specifically regarding missing medical records from a private provider. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are noted as affecting his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to December 3, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for soft tissue sarcoma was denied, and the effective date for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was not earlier than April 4, 2016.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 100% evaluation effective July 1, 2008, due to total social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD and the newly diagnosed peripheral neuropathy and/or radiculopathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's combined rating is already at 100%, but the Board found insufficient evidence to support a TDIU based on any single service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Korea. The VA is required to verify this exposure and provide a new psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, are related to his service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to August 26, 2022 and 70 percent therefrom. The Board denied staged ratings in excess of these percentages.,The Veteran does not have a current right or left ankle disability as no such conditions were diagnosed by VA examiners or other medical providers during the appeal period.,Regarding his left knee disability, the Veteran has provided competent signs and symptoms of a current disability. The Board found that his in-service activities are consistent with his service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to December 6, 2016. The rating was granted based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as suicidal thoughts, anger outbursts, and impaired judgment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and potentially missing VA treatment records.

The Board has dismissed all claims as the Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's right wrist tendonitis is rated at 50 percent, but no higher. The Board found that the Veteran has functional ankylosis with ulnar deviation in his right wrist, warranting a 50 percent rating under DC 5214. For TDIU determination, as the Veteran does not meet the schedular threshold for a combined rating of at least 60 percent due to noncompensable ratings for other service-connected disabilities, and there is no evidence of unemployability solely due to his service-connected conditions, the claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor occurred. However, his other specified trauma- or stressor-related disorder is granted as it meets the criteria without needing corroboration of the in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD did not result in total occupational and social impairment prior to May 16, 2018. The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service. The rating assigned and effective date have not been determined.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and exposure to herbicides. Additional examinations are needed to determine the etiology of his psychiatric, neurological, and skin conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches, have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 10, 2014. The decision is based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The Veteran also meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims of whether new and material evidence was submitted for service connection for bipolar disorder, PTSD with alcohol dependency, bilateral hearing loss, sleep problems and nightmares, and tension headaches. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for readjudication.

The Veteran's headaches are caused by his service-connected PTSD and tinnitus.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected PTSD.