PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to August 29, 2016, and at 70% from that date onward. A TDIU was granted prior to April 29, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from September 18, 2018 is dismissed. The claim for an initial rating higher than 50 percent prior to September 18, 2018 for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals in their entirety, including those for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for PTSD, as well as service connection claims for various conditions. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection for PTSD, as his diagnosis of PTSD is supported by credible supporting evidence and a causal nexus to in-service stressors. Service connection for Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder is remanded due to insufficient competent medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues, including the need for an SOC and proper docketing under the legacy review system.

The Veteran's PFB is not rated higher than the initial noncompensable rating.,PTSD has been granted, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD prior to June 21, 2019 was denied due to the evidence not showing occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.,The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for coronary artery disease was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been granted. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder with anxious distress (claimed as PTSD, MST) is remanded.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that the Veteran's statements regarding in-service stressors were not credible and his psychiatric disorder did not manifest during service or be otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, finding that the earliest possible effective date is July 1, 2015, when he was awarded a permanent total disability rating due to service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was implicitly denied in the March 2012 rating decision, as the RO considered his employment difficulties and awarded a 70% disability rating for PTSD. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Veteran's PTSD rating was restored to 70% effective August 26, 2017. The appeal for increased evaluations of other conditions and service connection claims were dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD with other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder is granted due to the medical evidence showing he has been diagnosed with these conditions related to his Vietnam service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's service connection claims for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran's August 2019 VA Form 10182 was not a valid Notice of Disagreement under the Appeals Modernization Act system.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at a 100 percent since August 18, 2016. The Board granted a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and dismissed the TDIU claim due to the Veteran being in receipt of a 100 percent rating. SMC at the housebound rate was also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar spine disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, femoral nerve radiculopathy, hemorrhoids, left foot bunion, erectile dysfunction, and human papillomavirus, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied. The Board also found that there was no evidence to support the Veteran's claim for service connection for his torn meniscus with limited range of motion in the left knee due to lack of an adequate VA examination prior to the May 2019 rating decision on appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to errors in obtaining service personnel records and failing to provide a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD and right ring/little finger impairment were not granted increased ratings or an earlier effective date. The claim for a higher rating for PTSD was denied as the symptoms did not meet criteria for a higher rating, while the denial of a compensable rating for the right ring/little finger impairment is based on lack of evidence showing total social or occupational impairment.