PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD is restored, and the initial compensable evaluation for lip laceration scar as well as a separate rating for painful lip laceration scar are granted.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was granted. The claim for a lumbar spine disability is being remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Mental Disorders (General Formula), due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board restored the Veteran's PTSD rating from 70 percent to 70 percent effective September 1, 2021, as there was no sustained material improvement in his service-connected PTSD under ordinary conditions of daily life.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent prior to September 28, 2018. The Board granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD effective September 28, 2018.

The Veteran's death is not related to her military service, and the appellant seeks nonservice-connected survivor's pension benefits based on her pre-existing conditions. The appeal requires further development of her service records.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The decision is based on a medical opinion that OSA was caused by weight gain due to PTSD, which in turn led to obesity.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70% disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder was denied.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right knee strain (limitation of extension) were also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of May 26, 2016 for service connection of PTSD with bipolar disorder, finding that no claim was filed prior to this date.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is in relative equipoise with his in-service stressor. The appeal is therefore granted.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 13, 2009, for service connection and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) has been denied. The Board found that the added military personnel records in August 2021 were not relevant to the dispositive matters at issue in previous claims.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the appeal process.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the August 2021 rating decision. The Veteran's right foot gout is rated at 20 percent, also effective from the same date.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent disabling for PTSD is also denied. The case is remanded to determine if the Veteran is entitled to SMC due to bilateral lower extremity disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by suicide, and he had service-connected conditions such as PTSD and back pain. The claim will be remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding whether these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD and dismissed the claim for TDIU as moot.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates have been granted, but the appeal is dismissed as moot due to the grant of benefits.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not substantially comply with the January 2018 remand directives and therefore, both issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for PTSD claimed as depressive disorder NOS and entitlement to an initial evaluation greater than 30 percent disabling for PTSD claimed as depressive disorder NOS are being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted a rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of the March 4, 2020 decision. Service connection for CKD and diabetes are granted, but with remand on other issues such as hypertension and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 100 percent for PTSD with MDD was denied. The appeal for an effective date prior to May 16, 2016 for SMC was also denied.