PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete service medical records. The Veteran's active duty and Army Reserve service are acknowledged, but further efforts must be made to obtain his complete service medical records.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to April 25, 2022 was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and outstanding service records, including mental health treatment records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD will be reconsidered based on verified stressors or combat participation. An examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, residuals of TBI, and seizures were denied as the evidence did not establish a direct relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and a finding of TDIU due to service-connected disability. Additional evidence is needed, including VA outpatient treatment records from the University of Kansas Medical Center and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination records.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD and has remanded the claims of service connection for squamous cell carcinoma and lower back disorder.

The Veteran's rating for PTSD was reduced from 100% to 50%, effective July 1, 2020. The Board found that the procedural requirements were not followed and dismissed the appeal as moot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, should be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The claim will be reconsidered with additional evidence provided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is due to an in-service drowning incident and finds it at least as likely as not that this condition is related to his service. As such, service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective January 18, 2013, based on his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is the earliest date that the claim for a TDIU arose, which was less than one year prior to receipt of the February 2013 application.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the pre-decisional duty to assist, specifically regarding the need for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder(s), particularly if diagnosed as PTSD. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's statements about personal assault during service and the corroborating evidence from his service records.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, effective March 17, 2017. The Board denied a higher rating and also denied the claim for TDIU prior to July 25, 2022.

The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by damage to the Veteran's chest, an anxiety disorder, a panic disorder, and PTSD. The VA will now attempt to obtain inpatient treatment records from Wiesbaden, Germany, and Ft. Stewart, Georgia, as well as provide appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis under DSM-5 criteria.,The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability are remanded as new evidence has been submitted.

The appeal for service connection of posttraumatic stress disorder was dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder has been granted. The claim for PTSD remains pending and will be remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issue remains pending as it has not been determined whether the inservice concussion was due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be at least as likely as not caused by his in-service trauma, leading to a grant of service connection on a direct basis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issue remains pending as it has not been determined whether the inservice concussion was due to willful misconduct.