PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's claims for back and left knee conditions are remanded due to inadequate opinions in the March 2022 VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and unspecified anxiety disorder, due to military sexual trauma (MST) that occurred during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's OSA was aggravated by his PTSD, and if so, what role weight gain from PTSD played in causing or aggravating his OSA.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective December 26, 2019. The Board found that the level of impairment most closely approximates occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's PTSD has not resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, so the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of SMC based on this need.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his back disability was denied. The claims for service connection for PTSD, hypertensive heart disease with fatigue and shortness of breath, hypertension based on the PACT Act, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and a right hip disorder were all denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder was granted on September 13, 2019, and the effective date is set at that time.

The Veteran's OSA is found to be caused by his service-connected PTSD, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD rating has been restored to 100 percent effective April 1, 2021. The AOJ failed to comply with the notice provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.105(e) in reducing the PTSD rating from 100 percent to 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as sleep-wake disorder and PTSD), a low back disorder, right knee disorders, left knee disorders, right foot disorders, and left foot disorders are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after new examinations have been conducted.

The Veteran's appeal is for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected PTSD, which was denied.,The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to service-connected disabilities.

An effective date of June 10, 2016, and no earlier, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD is granted. Effective dates prior to October 18, 2017, are denied for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection of acquired psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, and depression. As a result, the Board dismissed these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on regular aid and attendance due to insufficient evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities required him to be in need of regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 15, 2020 for the grants of service connection for PTSD and sleep apnea. The decision is based on the Veteran's submission of a completed application within one year of his intent to file.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with MDD and alcohol use disorder has caused erectile dysfunction, which is now granted on a secondary basis. The rating for the psychiatric condition remains at 70 percent since it does not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and nasal fracture residuals, do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the combined effects of his service-connected conditions alone are insufficient to preclude all forms of employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 6, 2014, for a 100 percent disability rating for his PTSD condition. The Board found that no increase in disability was factually ascertainable within one year prior to February 19, 2021.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability (other than PTSD) and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and severity of his low back disability prior to August 3, 2021.