PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been dismissed as the claim was fully granted with a higher rating effective August 12, 2024.,Service connection for a left calf disorder is not warranted based on the lack of current diagnosis and no in-service event or disease.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding an earlier effective date for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD and denied his claim for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete information from the Veteran's employer regarding his employment status and the current severity of his psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and PTSD were denied earlier effective dates prior to August 26, 2016. The Board found that the relevant STRs received after the initial denial did not provide new evidence material enough to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 0 percent (noncompensable) due to the severity of his hearing impairment.,The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran seeks a higher rating but cannot meet the criteria for an increased rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD on December 22, 2020, and the effective date of this grant is set to December 22, 2020. The Veteran argues that he should have received this higher rating earlier.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, Depressive Disorder, and Hepatic Steatosis have been granted. The claim for PTSD is based on new evidence showing the condition may be related to service-connected conditions or events. The claim for Hepatic Steatosis is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and Binge Eating Disorder were granted effective April 5, 2021. The Board denied earlier effective dates as there was no claim prior to the supplemental claim filed on April 7, 2020.,TDIU and DEA benefits were also granted effective April 5, 2021.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling from September 9, 2014.,The claim for an earlier effective date prior to September 9, 2014, for service connection of PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50% initially, and the Board granted a higher rating of 70% for the entire initial rating appeal period from September 9, 2014 to November 8, 2023.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of beneficiary travel expenses to the San Francisco VA Medical Center on September 11, 2024 was granted as he met the criteria for reimbursement.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, was denied. The rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to September 1, 2022, was denied, but from that date forward, a 20% rating was granted. Service connection for sinusitis is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining potentially outstanding TRICARE treatment records and failing to corroborate the Veteran's reported in-service stressors. Additionally, a VA examination is required to reconcile conflicting diagnoses and obtain adequate medical opinions regarding the pre-existence of psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD with panic disorder, without agoraphobia and major depressive disorder, recurring, moderate is granted a 70 percent rating effective October 12, 2020.,The Veteran's migraine including migraine variants is granted a 30 percent rating effective March 4, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 9, 2019, for service connection for his acquired psychiatric condition is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for his acquired psychiatric condition is denied. The current rating of 70 percent is considered the highest possible under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the assigned 70 percent rating for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of TDIU is also denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to his active service and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent from December 22, 2015 to May 23, 2020.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, which may be related to service. The Veteran seeks service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders and bilateral foot shedding have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to his military service.