PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's combined disability rating is properly calculated at 60 percent effective August 10, 2022 using the Combined Ratings Table. The claim for a higher overall rating based on any method other than use of the table has no legal merit and is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on his service-connected conditions and for an effective date have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

Your TDIU has already been granted and effective as of March 21, 2019. The Board cannot grant an earlier date for the benefit.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is granted, with an effective date of May 5, 2022.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher evaluation is not warranted due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent prior to July 16, 2019 and denied for a higher rating thereafter. The effective date remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the effective date for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) has been granted and is set at January 24, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety and PTSD, was denied. Service connection was granted for lumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy (secondary to cervical spine arthritis), right knee osteoarthritis, and left knee osteoarthritis and patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and MDD are found to be the cause of his death by suicide, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than December 12, 2022 for the grant of a 100 percent rating of PTSD and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance based on permanent and total disability status have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that it does not more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for tension headaches.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete VA examination and lack of recent VA treatment records. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error occurred.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of November 30, 2012 for the award of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD was diagnosed and claimed as a service-connected condition by this date.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for a higher rating for PTSD, and the cases were remanded for further evaluation of other conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and his condition was rated at 50 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, claimed as PTSD with depression. The evidence shows that the Veteran experienced in-service stressors related to Typhoon Tip and witnessing a fellow service member kill himself, which are sufficient to establish service connection.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C is denied as the evidence does not support a service connection.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no diagnosis of PTSD and the medical records do not indicate its onset in service or relate it to any injury or illness during active duty.,The Veteran's claim for cervical spinal stenosis is denied as there is no evidence showing a current condition related to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for kidney condition, to include hydronephrosis, is denied as the medical records do not indicate that it was caused by an event or illness during active duty and is not secondary to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD prior to September 16, 2022 is granted. The Board finds that the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD and a link between the condition and in-service stressors. Other claims are remanded due to inadequate development.

The appeal has been dismissed because the appellant waived his right to attorney fees from past-due benefits awarded in a December 2020 rating decision.