PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2026

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD. The evidence did not support finding that his current disabilities began during active service or were related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, are found to be at least as likely as not related to her military service. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right hip disorder and PTSD, do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. His non-service connected conditions such as diabetes, pancreatitis, and right eye blindness significantly impact his employment capabilities.

The Veteran's initial increased rating claim for TBI with dementia is denied, and separate ratings of 10% for tinnitus and 30% for tremors associated with TBI are granted. The Veteran also receives SMC based on need for aid and attendance by another person.

The Board has granted higher disability ratings for the Veteran's PTSD and headaches, effective August 2023. The appellant is eligible to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the May 2024 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for PTSD, hypertension, and PTSD with MDD and alcohol use disorder have been denied.,The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 50% prior to October 15, 2024, and at 70% since that date.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The Board found that his symptoms did not more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not meet eligibility requirements for PCAFC based on a November 2023 claim due to lack of personal care services. However, the Board finds the CEAT review consultation inadequate and remands the case for further clarification.

The appeal for service connection of depression is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD and MDD (formerly depression) is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating of 100 percent is not warranted due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.,For his lumbar spine disability, the Veteran was denied a higher rating as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for ankylosis or other severe functional limitations.

The Board has found that additional development is needed to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, including obtaining SSA disability records related to the Veteran's MDD and job loss. The issues of increased evaluation for psychiatric disabilities and earlier effective date for TDIU are inextricably intertwined and must be resolved together.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent from March 11, 2021, to February 10, 2022. Effective June 29, 2021, the Veteran received a TDIU based on solely on PTSD and an additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable as at least 60 percent disabling.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, specifically diagnosed depressive disorder, is granted as related to service. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

Your appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) framework. The Veteran's claim will be adjudicated under the legacy appeals framework, and no prejudice to the Veteran.

The Veteran's headaches are granted service connection as they are secondary to his service-connected temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) is denied due to lack of in-service disease or injury. Service connection for left hip, right hip, and cervical spine disabilities is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and lumbar spine disability have been denied. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress), as well as cold weather injury residuals of the hands and knees.,Service connection is not granted for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of in-service diagnosis or treatment, no evidence of continuity of symptomatology, and insufficient medical opinion linking current disability to service.

The Board has determined that the VA did not obtain a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, specifically schizophrenia disorder, depressive type, with histories of schizophrenia, major depressive episode, and PTSD. The case is being remanded to ensure an adequate opinion is provided.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of dermatomyositis, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and sleep apnea due to a full grant of benefits effective May 13, 2019.

The Veteran's recurrent right shoulder degenerative changes to include chronic pain are granted as secondary to the service-connected left shoulder osteoarthritis. The effective date for the award of service connection for lumbosacral strain is set at April 23, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate November 2020 VA aggravation opinion regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is secondary to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.