PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that new evidence supports a diagnosis and establishes a link between his current symptoms and military service.

The Veteran's PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified mild neurocognitive disorder are rated at a 70 percent disability rating from April 25, 2024. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and thus denied his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) is being remanded due to the need for a new aid and attendance examination. The AOJ will consider all service-connected disabilities in determining if they render the Veteran helpless, requiring regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 22, 2022. The Board granted entitlement to a TDIU due to this condition.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depression, dysthymic disorder and adjustment disorder, has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his legacy appeal through a Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms were found to be most closely approximating occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to March 27, 2021. The claim for hepatitis C was remanded.

The appeal to reduce the disability rating from 70 percent to 30 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with traumatic brain injury is dismissed because it was not a final decision.

The Veteran's service-connected tonic-clonic seizures are granted a 60 percent rating effective March 21, 2017. The appeal for increased ratings for PTSD and TBI is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, and there was no service connection established for most of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis, credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor, and a link between the current symptoms and the claimed in-service stressor.

The Board has granted a TDIU and SMC based on housebound criteria for the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and hypertension, effective August 2, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection cannot be established for any of these conditions.

Service connection for PTSD and residuals of a left foot injury is granted. The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain, cervical strain, sciatica in the right lower extremity, and sciatica in the left lower extremity evaluations are remanded.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to the absence of audiometric findings meeting VA disability criteria.,The Veteran's right hip syndrome (limitation of extension) and flexion do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as their respective ranges are within normal limits.,The Veteran's right hip syndrome does not warrant an initial rating in excess of 10 percent due to its current range of motion limitations.,PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran's symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with opioid use disorder and cocaine use disorder, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder. The decision also grants secondary service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder to include as secondary to service-connected left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the increased disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and TDIU was denied as there was no factually ascertainable increase in his PTSD during the one-year lookback period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hand disability was denied. The Board found no current disability and insufficient evidence to establish an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for PTSD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder was granted with a 70% rating effective February 6, 2019.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating greater than 70 percent, as they did not cause total occupational and social impairment.