PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in duty to assist, including failing to obtain complete military personnel records and relevant non-VA medical records. The private medical opinion linking PTSD and dementia to service is deemed inadequate.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial disability rating for PTSD and an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD is dismissed due to it being a concurrent election prohibited under VA regulations.

The Board has awarded Attorney J.D. and Agent J.P. half of the past-due benefits ($2,045.12) from the September 2019 rating decision for service connection granted on the merits.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was denied, and his initial disability rating for PTSD was also denied. The Veteran received a 70% disability rating for PTSD in the August 2022 decision.

The Board has determined that the Appellant's character of discharge is a bar to VA benefits, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) is remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for PTSD, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, chronic headaches, and urinary frequency. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was granted with an initial 70% rating on December 12, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU, Dependents' Educational Assistance, and an increased PTSD rating are denied.,An effective date prior to January 31, 2019, is not warranted for the grant of a TDIU or Dependents' Educational Assistance. The Board found that a TDIU was not factually ascertainable within one year prior to the Veteran's claim on January 31, 2019.

The July 16, 1996 rating decision was revised to grant service connection for schizophrenia. The appeal regarding PTSD and alcoholism is granted based on new evidence that reopened the claim.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of sleep apnea and PTSD as untimely, due to failure to file a timely Notice of Disagreement within one year from the date of the June 15, 2020 decision.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depression are now rated at 70 percent, the maximum rating available.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, as the VA has not considered whether his unemployability is due to service-connected disabilities. The Board will refer these issues for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The case is being remanded to provide the Veteran with a VA examination and medical opinion regarding his PTSD claim.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ankle condition due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability. The case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied, as the evidence did not show that his PTSD caused deficiencies in most areas such as work and social functioning.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities was also denied because he met the schedular requirements but failed to demonstrate that his combined disability rating of 70 percent precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has found that adequate steps were not taken to provide a VA examination prior to the October 2019 rating decision on appeal for PTSD. The Veteran's claim is being remanded to correct this pre-decisional error.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are presumed to be due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,PTSD is granted as it was caused by an in-service stressor.

Service connection is granted for PTSD with GAD, sleep impairment as part of PTSD and GAD, right elbow enthesopathy, left ankle gout, and left knee gout. Service connection is denied for gout, claimed as joint pain.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for PTSD, TBI, and left knee disorder due to potential errors in the record regarding the Veteran's military service. The AOJ is instructed to search for additional records under a former name and social security number.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, depression, and unspecified trauma related disorder, is found to be at least as likely as not related to service.,Her migraine headaches are found to clearly and unmistakably preexist service and were aggravated by an in-service assault.