PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for PTSD from 70 percent to 70 percent effective July 1, 2020.

The Veteran's TBI disability is granted with a 40% rating from June 30, 2011 to September 10, 2016. A compensable rating (10%) for the period after September 10, 2016, is denied.,The Veteran's vertigo disability is granted with a 10% rating effective March 28, 2019.,The Veteran's post-traumatic headaches are not service-connected and thus no rating is assigned.,The Veteran withdrew his claim for an increased PTSD rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include depression and social anxiety disorder due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors, obtain any outstanding VA treatment records, and schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted an increased rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The matter of TDIU due to PTSD is remanded.

The appeal for readjudication of previously denied claims related to hypertension, heart disability, GERD, peripheral neuropathy, PTSD with anxiety and depression, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory disorder are dismissed as they were already addressed in a December 2023 Board decision.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 30 percent, as they did not cause occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of PTSD due to a withdrawal request by the appellant's authorized representative.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board is remanding the case to determine if he qualifies for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, depression, bilateral knee disabilities, and lumbar spine disability due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran must be provided with addendum opinions addressing his in-service stressors, injuries, and complaints.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity during the January 30, 2013 to July 21, 2014 period. For the July 22, 2014 to March 3, 2020 period, his PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 70% rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevented him from pursuing a program of education from December 1, 2015 to February 4, 2020. The Board granted an extension of the delimiting date for his Chapter 33 educational assistance benefits after this period.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the rate specified in 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) due to his service-connected disabilities and entitlement to SMC at the rate specified in 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) due to need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for PTSD as it was already granted by the AOJ in a previous decision.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2020, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that her service-connected PTSD and/or back disability did not cause her obesity, which is necessary to establish secondary service connection. The VA examiners provided more persuasive opinions than the private examiner.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 11, 2019 for the award of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim was submitted on that date and she met the criteria for service connection at that time.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is rated at 70 percent and denied a higher rating. The Board also granted TDIU based on the service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for an effective date prior to September 13, 2011, and an increased initial rating for PTSD are dismissed due to improper concurrent elections.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective date of the grants was set at September 6, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of PTSD has been withdrawn and dismissed. The claims for service connection of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and gastroesophageal reflux disease have been remanded.