PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as his current diagnosis of PTSD is attributable to an in-service stressor involving personal trauma.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma and PTSD have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 100% disabling since November 20, 2019. He also has additional disabilities that combine to at least 60%, qualifying him for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the subsection (s) rate.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the period from July 7, 2020 to February 15, 2022.

The Veteran's PTSD with associated major neurocognitive disorder is now rated at 100 percent effective October 4, 2023. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has been dismissed as the PTSD rating effectively moots this claim.

The Board has determined that the VA opinions are inadequate and remands the case for further examination and opinion to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for his claimed acquired psychiatric disorders.

This decision denies the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD with TBI and headaches as secondary to PTSD with TBI. The claims were denied in August 2018 due to lack of a current diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5 criteria, and no evidence linking headaches to service or a pre-existing condition.,Headaches were not granted service connection because there was no medical record showing any complaints, treatment, or diagnosis for headaches during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's claims for service connection for various psychiatric disorders are now recharacterized as an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD has been granted, and he is currently rated at 30 percent. The application to readjudicate the claim was successful.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with an initial rating of 70 percent, effective November 3, 2014. The other issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with TBI is granted. The Board also grants higher ratings for various upper and lower extremity conditions, but denies claims for increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a mental disorder.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition due to burn pit exposure is remanded. The VA examiner must provide an opinion on the relationship between the claimed respiratory condition and service.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective July 17, 2023. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and rating increases are granted but no earlier than the dates specified.

Service connection is granted for PTSD. The claims of service connection for social adjustment disorder with anger issues, depression, insomnia, and anxiety are denied.

The Veteran's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is found to be proximately due to his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 50 percent prior to May 21, 2019. The Board has now granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD beginning on May 21, 2019.,Prior to this decision, the Veteran had been receiving a combined 50 percent rating for PTSD and TBI.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 8, 2020 for a 70% disability rating for PTSD. The decision is based on the appellant's continuous pursuit of his claim and the fact that his condition had manifested by this date.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD (based on MST) and bipolar disorder is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that suggests an in-service assault could not be corroborated, specifically missing Leave and Earnings Statements.

The Board found that the Veteran is not precluded from substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities and denied the claim for a TDIU rating.