PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD was granted with an effective date of July 23, 2010. This decision is based on new and relevant service records that were not previously considered at the time of the initial denial in June 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychological disorders, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not due to her military service.

The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD from April 19, 2010, to June 16, 2015.,Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 was also granted.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD prior to July 18, 2018 is denied. The Veteran's claim for increased rating for PTSD and service connection for heart disability and hematological disability are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms prior to March 13, 2019 did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating than 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for their service-connected psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, is being remanded to obtain missing mental health records from 2017.

The appellant has withdrawn his appeal for an earlier effective date than October 16, 2020, for the grant of a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with GAD and MDD. The Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have not met the criteria for a higher than 50 percent rating. The claim for service connection of TBI is being readjudicated, and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for torn left Achilles tendon is remanded. The TBI claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent prior to January 27, 2020 and denied for higher ratings thereafter. His back condition is rated at 40 percent after January 27, 2020 and denied for higher ratings. The neck condition and left lower extremity radiculopathy are both denied for higher ratings. The right shoulder condition is rated at the highest available rating of 40 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD, gastrointestinal issues, depression, and anxiety headaches render him unemployable. The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU.

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent prior to October 21, 2019, for PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder. The Court vacated this decision due to incomplete translations of foreign language documents and remanded the case back to the Board for further consideration and development.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD with TBI was dismissed because the proposed reduction in rating from 30 percent to 0 percent for a headache disability was not an appealable final decision. The Board also denied the claim for a higher rating for PTSD with TBI.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability have been dismissed due to the appeal being in a parallel Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) appeal stream.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 23, 2013 was granted for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea associated with PTSD and alcohol use disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, including PTSD and bipolar disorder with alcohol use disorder, was reduced from a 70% evaluation to a 100% evaluation. The Board found that the evidence demonstrated actual improvement in his ability to function under ordinary conditions of life.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation higher than 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder was denied.,The Veteran's request for an effective date earlier than January 22, 2019 for the grant of a 70 percent evaluation for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for right foot drop, neuropathy is denied. The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 70% rating from September 13, 2023.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective September 10, 2019, due to his service-connected PTSD and coronary artery disease preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.,Eligibility for Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance based on the Veteran's permanent total service-connected disability (TDIU) was also granted effective September 10, 2019.

The Board has expanded the claim to include an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's previous diagnosis of PTSD in 1993 is not confirmed and a remand is required for a VA examination to clarify his current diagnosis and determine if it is related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for coronary artery disease, service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, and service connection for embolism/infarction have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The appeal is not about service connection but rather about the level of disability.