PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection was received on August 4, 1997. The Board finds that the effective date of August 4, 1997 is correct and denies the request for an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for residuals of prostate cancer, PTSD, and Parkinson's disease. The effective date was set at January 22, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of all currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder. The examiner must address the Veteran's lay statements in support of his claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for seizures and remanded the issues of service connection for TBI and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are inextricably intertwined with the seizure claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any identified psychiatric disabilities are related to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of September 21, 2022. The Board granted a TDIU based on the severity of his PTSD and other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for vertigo, brain hemorrhage with residual headache associated with TBI, and residuals of TBI have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher than 10 percent rating for any condition.,Specifically, the Board determined that the Veteran’s symptoms were more consistent with occasional dizziness rather than staggering or other forms of impairment.

The Board has decided that the VA's decision on right ear hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety) needs to be reconsidered due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete verification of stressor events.

The Veteran's claim for an increased level of special monthly compensation (SMC) is denied as he does not meet the criteria for SMC at the rate specified under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r). The Veteran was previously granted SMC based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at 100% effective January 1, 2018. The Board granted an increased rating based on the evidence showing total occupational and social impairment.

An effective date of September 22, 2011, and no earlier, for the award of service connection for PTSD is granted. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and a TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 26, 2015, for the grant of service connection for mental health condition, including PTSD with panic attacks, nightmare disorder, and opioid disorder is denied as he did not file a claim prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the accuracy of a private mental health evaluation and the need for additional evidence to corroborate in-service stressors. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and major depression is being reviewed again.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The lung and right foot conditions are remanded for further review.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 3, 2014 for the assignment of a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD. This is based on the Veteran's continuous pursuit of her claim since March 3, 2014.

The appeal as to service connection for PTSD is dismissed.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for the left lower extremity radiculopathy of the external cutaneous nerve is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for PTSD and service connection for supraventricular arrhythmia, secondary to PTSD, is being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder. The decision finds that these conditions are related to active-duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted service connection. The Veteran's bilateral vision loss is denied as not incurred in or related to his active service.

The Veteran's TDIU and eligibility for DEA benefits are granted effective July 20, 2015. The earlier effective dates of August 11, 2016, previously awarded by the Board, are vacated.