PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including schizoaffective disorder, alcohol use disorder, and PTSD, are granted as they are found to be related to his service. The conditions were diagnosed during service or within one year of discharge.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, GAD, MDD, and a respiratory condition including asthma.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring additional medical opinions on whether fatigue is aggravated by service-connected obstructive sleep apnea and/or caused or aggravated by PTSD, heart conditions, and/or diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and lack of medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety. The claim will be further evaluated with a VA examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD with anxiety and depression, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine with muscle spasms, cervical spine, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left lower extremity varicose veins are all granted. The service connection is determined to be direct.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for TDIU, increased rating for psychiatric disorder prior to June 27, 2022, and service connection for thyroid condition. The claims are dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence to support the claimed in-service stressors and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an increased rating of 70 percent from August 26, 2020 to July 13, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 16, 1980, for establishing service connection and assigning a 100 percent rating for PTSD. The decision found no clear and unmistakable error in the September 1982 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's March 2021 Form 10182 was timely filed and will proceed with consideration of his claim. The Board also found that further development is needed to address whether sleep apnea was proximately caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability, specifically an acquired psychiatric disorder and rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete service records and need for new VA medical opinions regarding her claimed orthopedic disorders.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition and a low back condition due to duty to assist errors. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is related to personal assault during service, but he was not provided notice regarding this requirement. For his low back condition, VA treatment records from 2008 were not obtained, and the examiner did not address the Veteran's contention that his current lumbosacral strain is related to in-service lifting heavy objects.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70 percent rating from October 17, 2013, to July 28, 2016. A higher rating is denied for the period after July 28, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to unclear notice and the need for further clarification of eligibility criteria. The VA will provide proper notice, clarify the reason for the denial, and evaluate the Veteran's need for personal care services based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's rating for major depressive disorder with PTSD was reduced from 70% to 50%, but the reduction was found invalid, and her original 70% rating is restored.

The Veteran's appeal for retroactive pay for the period from March 3, 2022, to September 30, 2022 is denied as he has already received the proper disability compensation amounts.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, and the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran also received a grant of TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of a higher disability rating for PTSD due to the need for an updated VA examination and consideration of his lay statements regarding symptom severity.

The Veteran's initial ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities were denied prior to May 17, 2011.,PTSD was remanded by the Board due to failure to obtain private treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no basis to increase this rating. The issues of PTSD with depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorder, hypertension, degenerative disc disease with sciatica, TDIU prior to May 28, 2010, and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status are all remanded for further development.