PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to her service, specifically a military sexual assault (MST), and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), deviated nasal septum, and/or diabetes mellitus with obesity as an intermediate step. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The petition to readjudicate the previously denied claims of service connection for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The claim of service connection for hypertension and COPD/chronic bronchitis is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the VA examination provided in July 2024 is internally inconsistent and requires further clarification.

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including failure to obtain SSA records and military records related to stressor verification. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are being evaluated again with a new opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and he is in receipt of a 100% rating for other disabilities. Therefore, the Veteran is granted TDIU and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's PTSD with TBI symptoms resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to February 29, 2024 due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist error regarding employment information from April 2020 onwards.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, but no higher, due to symptoms such as difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, and short-term memory and concentration problems. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of the Veteran's condition.

The Veteran's appeal for PTSD was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and PTSD, was granted an initial rating of 70 percent prior to November 30, 2023. The Board found that the symptoms met the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD and chronic sinusitis is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including alcohol abuse, anxiety, depression and PTSD, is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The Board finds that the Veteran provided good cause for not attending his VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of July 9, 2009, for a 70% evaluation for PTSD with other specified depressive disorder, cocaine dependence, and marijuana dependence. The Board found that the increase in severity was factually ascertainable on this date.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as of November 4, 2022 due to his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation for his service-connected low back disability is remanded due to the inadequacy of the May 2023 VA examination.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent evaluation for his acquired psychiatric disabilities and DEA is remanded due to inconsistencies in employment records and incomplete verification of income.

The Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected exercise induced asthma, as well as an appeal for a prior effective date for PTSD, have been dismissed due to the untimeliness of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and polyneuropathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder in early remission is rated at 50 percent, and his right ear hearing loss is rated at 10 percent. Both conditions are denied for higher ratings.