PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that new and relevant evidence supports a link between his combat service in Vietnam and his current PTSD diagnosis.

The Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD for the entire period of appeal, effective February 4, 2019. SMC benefits were also granted due to the Veteran's housebound status.

The Veteran's disability ratings for migraine, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), epilepsy with recurrent seizures, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), lumbosacral strain, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome were improperly reduced to noncompensable effective January 1, 2023. The ratings are restored.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating is denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim at the time of his May 2019 increased rating claim for PTSD.

The Board has determined that there are duty to assist errors in the prior decision and remands the case for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorders. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims for increased disability ratings for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and TDIU prior to September 6, 2022.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation due to missed VA examinations, and a PACT Act claim may be raised based on implicit participation in a TERA.

The Veteran's PTSD with agoraphobia/social phobia, and alcohol use disorder have resulted in total social and occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and depression, is etiologically related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder was denied in May 2019. The Board has now granted revision of the May 2019 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE), and has also granted an effective date of January 23, 2018.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for Other Specified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder due to military sexual trauma (MST). The other conditions are not connected to service.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from October 8, 2014, to November 30, 2014, and from June 20, 2015, to October 31, 2015. The rating remains unchanged for the rest of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for PTSD was denied, but he received a 50 percent evaluation for migraine headaches. The decision also noted that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated the criteria for a 30 percent disability rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD was denied, and the earlier effective date claims for TDIU and DEA benefits were granted but with a different effective date.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits is granted effective from February 6, 2014.,VA regulations dictate the specific circumstances and criteria which must be met before DEA benefits may be granted. As these criteria were not met prior to February 6, 2014, an earlier effective date for DEA benefits is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and an unspecified bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were denied as there was no credible evidence to support the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressors, and his diagnoses did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has expanded the scope of the Veteran's service connection claim to include all currently-diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders. The matter is REMANDED for further actions including verifying in-service stressors, obtaining SSA records, and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obesity is dismissed as a matter of law. The Board also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.