PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The reduction of the Veteran's PTSD rating from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective January 1, 2019 was improper and has been restored.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tinnitus, and hearing loss, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for PTSD and low back disability, as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to April 16, 2017. The RO is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been shown to be productive of total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions and awarded SMC at the housebound rate due to his combined disability rating of 80 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder precludes him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment, leading to a TDIU effective April 20, 2017.,SMC at the 's' rate is granted due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities combining to 60 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria and there is insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that he was unemployable due to these conditions. The decision also notes that the Veteran does not have any physical limitations preventing him from working.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation of 50 percent for PTSD is granted, but his request for a higher evaluation or reopening the issue due to new evidence is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and cataracts, as well as service connection for a respiratory condition, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims posthumously.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded his service connection claims due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide updated medical records from VA and private providers.

The Veteran's claim to connect PTSD, depression, and anxiety to service has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and mood disorder. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, anxiety, and depression, should be remanded due to incomplete stressor verification and issues with the January 2023 VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since September 16, 2022. Prior to that date, he was granted a TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, a right leg disorder, and right leg scars are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess current severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is denied, but service connection for Chronic Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood is granted.

The appeal for PTSD, also claimed as sleeping disorder, has been withdrawn. The claim for bilateral trench foot is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The claims for bilateral plantar fasciitis and gastrointestinal disorder are remanded for further review. The claim for sleep apnea is also remanded.

The Board finds that the Veteran's multiple substance abuse disorders were aggravated by his service-connected disabilities and contributed to his death caused by mixed drug intoxication. Therefore, service connection for cause of death is granted.