PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and needs to obtain additional private treatment records and provide a new etiology opinion regarding the onset of the Veteran's psychiatric disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection and rating of various disabilities, including back disability, psychiatric conditions, Graves' Disease with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, and bilateral exophthalmos. The issues include determining whether these conditions are related to service or if they have been aggravated by a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 50 percent disabling for his acquired psychiatric condition, to include PTSD, from September 9, 2021, was granted. The Board found that the evidence supported a finding of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The appeal of the proposed reduction in the disability rating for PTSD is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis (claimed as chronic sinusitis) is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for IVDS with degenerative arthritis and spinal fusion was denied. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU were granted effective February 25, 2021.,PTSD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU were all granted effective February 25, 2021.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of a broken nose, sterility, and prostate cancer. The claims for left hip disability, right hip disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, right knee disability, and eye disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The earlier effective date of April 30, 2014, for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his claim for service connection for OSA. The Board will consider all evidence, including the lay and medical records, to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support a finding that his current OSA was incurred during or as a result of his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 70 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD with panic disorder has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent, effective April 1, 2018. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms warranted this higher rating due to occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn all appeals related to the issues listed on the title page. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is aggravated by service-connected GERD, hiatal hernia, or PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for a disability rating more than 70 percent.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for a new medical opinion to determine if it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with a 50% rating effective September 30, 2020. The decision is based on the date of receipt of his Intent to File, which he filed on September 30, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied, but he is now receiving a TDIU due to service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD evaluation and TDIU are being remanded due to inconsistencies in the VA examination findings, need for additional evidence, and interrelatedness of the issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and he is granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, vertigo, pain in feet, allergic rhinitis, and gynecological disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.