PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% and his TBI residuals are rated at 30%. The Board has decided that the Veteran should be remanded for further review of his PTSD claim, but not for a separate rating on his TBI residuals.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including gathering additional evidence to support claims for increased disability evaluations.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an initial disability rating of 100 percent effective September 30, 2016. A 20 percent disability rating for right knee instability is granted from September 30, 2016 to April 12, 2021 and a higher rating is denied thereafter.,The Veteran's right knee instability was initially rated at 70 percent effective September 30, 2016. A 20 percent disability rating for the same condition is granted from April 12, 2021 onwards.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and cholelithiasis (gallstones) due to new evidence received since the last rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that it is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by her service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service personnel records and a need for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the appellant's mental state at the time of his misconduct.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a higher rating from 50% to 70%, and separate ratings for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy of the femoral nerves were also granted. These decisions are considered past-due benefits eligible for attorney fees.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of November 13, 2018. The Board granted TDIU from that date.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all service connection issues, including left leg neuropathy, right leg neuropathy, sinus, rhinitis, asthma, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, thyroids, PTSD, diabetes, heart, right hemiparesis, cervical, and other conditions. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for migraines and granted service connection for tinnitus. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an extension of his delimiting date beyond June 15, 2020, for use of Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) educational assistance benefits due to insufficient evidence showing that his PTSD prevented him from initiating or completing his master's degree program.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for entitlement to SMC based on aid and attendance/housebound status, as well as the appeal of entitlement to a TDIU due to lack of new error of fact or law. The Veteran was previously granted TDIU benefits in April 2024.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service-connected PTSD is granted, with the effective date set at October 20, 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck condition and PTSD, finding no evidence of a link between these conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further consideration of her claims, including the issue of service connection for migraines and the request to increase her PTSD disability rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the proposed reduction in evaluation of PTSD and entitlement to TDIU, leaving no issues for further consideration.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD with major depressive disorder is granted, while the claims for an increased rating and TDIU are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone meets the criteria for a single disability rated at 100 percent, and his other disabilities combine to meet or exceed a 60 percent rating. Therefore, SMC at the housebound rate is granted from December 2, 2019, to May 23, 2021.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have more closely approximated the criteria for a 100 percent evaluation.,Service connection is granted for headaches as secondary to service-connected PTSD, and obesity caused by PTSD has been identified as an intermediate step in establishing service connection for the low back disorder.