PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and consideration due to inconsistencies in the VA examiner's statements regarding the Veteran's PTSD symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational impairments. The TDIU claim is also referred to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's PTSD disability worsened before November 2018, and the Board has granted an effective date of November 5, 2017 for a 100% rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating as there is no evidence of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas or total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the hearing, leaving no issues for further consideration.

The Board has granted a TDIU and SMC based on housebound criteria for the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and cardiomyopathy, effective August 17, 2022. The appellant is eligible for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in this decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD due to a failure of the duty to assist in securing appropriate medical opinions.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 20, 1997 for the grant of service connection for PTSD based on new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim was previously denied in March 1998 due to a lack of verifiable stressor.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD with major depressive disorder and insomnia disorder, resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Board found that this level of impairment most closely matched a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues except tinnitus have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims by the Veteran. The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an increased rating to 70 percent for the entire period on appeal.,The Veteran was also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD and Hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, and service connection for sinusitis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the severity of the Veteran's symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than July 17, 2023, for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD. The most persuasive evidence did not show an increase in severity of PTSD prior to July 17, 2023.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent rating for PTSD is dismissed because the Board has already issued a decision addressing this issue. The appeal for an earlier effective date for TDIU is also dismissed as the claim must be considered in light of the February 2024 Board decision, which granted an earlier effective date of October 12, 2021, but remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a January 2023 Rating Decision, as the decision was not an appeal of a prior decision and did not meet the criteria for eligibility to attorney fees.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation and earlier effective date for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder is dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The appeal cannot be continued by anyone else as no eligible person has filed a request for substitution.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 10, 2018, for a 100 percent evaluation of PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder was denied. The request for individual unemployability (TDIU) is considered moot due to the Veteran having a 100 percent schedular rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric condition including PTSD, with generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder. Service connection was denied for bilateral eye condition and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for recurrent dislocations of right shoulder, residuals of labral tear was denied as the evidence did not show more than the currently assigned 20 percent disability.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for residuals of labral tear and slap surgery was denied as the evidence did not show more than the currently assigned 20 percent disability.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was denied as his impairment did not meet the criteria for a 50 percent or higher disability rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is related to his service-connected PTSD and has ordered a remand for further evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD and sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic disorder with alcohol, opioid, and cocaine abuse are rated at 100 percent disabling. A separate disability rating of 30 percent is granted for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability of the right knee, a separate disability rating of 10 percent is granted for limited flexion of the right knee, and a separate disability rating of 20 percent is granted for meniscal impairment of the right knee.