PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to a documented in-service stressor event. The Veteran's other psychiatric conditions are not considered related to his active military service.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to July 12, 2018, is rated at 50 percent and denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder was recharacterized to include PTSD, effectively granting the claim. As a result, the appeal for PTSD is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70% disability rating for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of an increase in severity within one year prior to the June 29, 2017, date of his intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to new and material evidence received. The issues of service connection for psychiatric disorders, sleep apnea, fatigue, cardiovascular disorder, right hip disability, and right shoulder disability are being reviewed.

The appeal is dismissed as to the claims of service connection for PTSD, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a deviated septum. The appeals are remanded for further development on the remaining issues.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has remanded both his claim for an increased rating and his TDIU claim due to incomplete information regarding his treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of PTSD, major depressive disorder, headaches, and TBI did not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to March 7, 2017.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed for the Veteran's PTSD due to possible worsening of symptoms since his last examination in March 2016. The TDIU claim is also remanded as further development may provide evidence supporting this claim.

The Veteran's PTSD, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and TBI are all rated based on their current manifestations. The Board has found that remand is necessary for clarification regarding the right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is being remanded for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition, and he is requested to provide any private treatment records relevant to his claim.

The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory disability, an acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD, MDD, and Schizoid personality disorder, and a bilateral shoulder disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions had their onset during active duty or were related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back condition, and residuals of Chiari malformation due to incomplete development. The Veteran's subjective experience in service is considered sufficient for diagnoses of PTSD and unspecified bipolar disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate rationale in previous medical opinions and insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders to his service.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's PTSD prior to July 21, 2011, based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relationships, judgment, thinking, and mood.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is granted under the PACT Act. The claim for service connection for a heart condition, including non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (claimed as ischemic heart disease), gastric ulcer, peptic ulcer, anemia, calculi of the gall bladder, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, and PTSD is reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial in November 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine whether the Veteran has additional psychiatric disorders separate and distinct from her service-connected PTSD, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as there was no diagnosis of PTSD that conforms to DSM-5 criteria and the evidence did not meet the threshold requirement for a current disability.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.