PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating under applicable schedular criteria.,PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Board has granted a rating of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for an autoimmune disorder, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and interstitial cystitis due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral hammertoes are being remanded due to a pre-decisional failure of the duty to assist.,Specifically, the VA examiner did not address whether other disabilities such as hallux valgus and plantar fasciitis were secondary to the service-connected hammertoes or if they could be distinguished in their symptoms and impacts on functioning.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as he did not file a timely substantive appeal following the issuance of a September 2019 Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's service connection claims for traumatic brain injury, depression on a secondary basis, and PTSD on a secondary basis are all granted. The rating for seizures is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current diagnosis and in-service stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms and overall impairment more nearly approximated deficiencies in most areas but have not more nearly approximated total occupational and social impairment at any point during the appeal period, resulting in a grant of an increased disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and PTSD have been dismissed as the RO granted service connection for adjustment disorder, which already includes symptoms of both conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in fulfilling pre-decisional duty to assist, including verifying the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and obtaining VA examination for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to obtain his treatment records from the Middletown Vet Center.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the adequacy of the VA examination report and to obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as the highest schedular rating (100%) for PTSD has been granted, making a TDIU moot. The earlier effective date of August 29, 2018 for DEA eligibility is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims due to a failure to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records, which were not considered in the previous rating decision. The SSA records are required for further review.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not secondary to his service-connected PTSD and has therefore remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied a claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD with unspecified parasomnia, finding that the severity of symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent from August 6, 2015 to August 31, 2023. Effective August 31, 2023, the rating for PTSD is increased to 100 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment throughout the appeal period, warranting a 100% disability rating.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, MDD, and Major Neurocognitive Disorder as the evidence did not meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and hepatitis C are denied.