PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The appeal for an increased rating of PTSD and service connection for right and left hand disabilities is dismissed. The appeals for a left hand disability and a right hand disability are remanded.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective May 15, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD has caused him to be unable to secure or follow any substantially gainful occupation since at least May 15, 2013.,The Veteran also received DEA benefits effective May 15, 2013 as he was adjudicated to have a permanent and total disability due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to result in him needing regular aid and attendance due to his mental impairment, which requires care or assistance on a regular basis.

The Veteran's PTSD, including alcohol use disorder and stimulant use disorder, has been manifested with total occupational and social impairment throughout the appeal period. The Board granted a 100 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD from April 17, 2024 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of total social impairment and thus denied the request for an increased rating. However, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety disorder is now rated at 70 percent, effective December 11, 2024.,An initial compensable rating for sinusitis was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and he is assigned a 10 percent rating for his numbness in the left leg status post stab wound. The scar on the left thigh is also rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's low back strain is rated at 40 percent, and the issues of IBS and CFS are dismissed. The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder with a major depressive episode do not meet criteria for a higher rating. Service connection is granted for cervical strain and right knee pain.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a 100% disability rating.

The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is dismissed due to a claims processing error. The claim for PTSD with depression and alcohol use disorder is granted.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD alone, effective from November 1, 2019. Additionally, the Veteran is now eligible for SMC under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) due to additional service-connected disabilities rated at least 60 percent disabling.,The Veteran's TDIU and SMC eligibility are effective from November 1, 2019.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 50 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was denied as the Veteran failed to report for a necessary VA examination without good cause.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA are granted with an effective date of June 23, 2015. The decision is based on the fact that he became unemployable due to service-connected disabilities more than one year prior to filing his express TDIU claim in July 2019.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims for increased disability ratings for PTSD and TDIU.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, are granted as they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's mental health disability (PTSD, anxiety, and depression) is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or a link to service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder. The claims of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and left shoulder tendinitis with history of recurrent dislocation are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right ankle disability was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,A 70 percent rating, but not higher, was granted for PTSD. The Veteran's occupational and social impairment due to PTSD is considered most severe at this level.,An initial 40 percent rating, but not higher, was granted for prostate cancer. The Veteran requires absorbent materials that must be changed four times per day due to urinary incontinence.,The Board found insufficient evidence to support service connection for a heart disability on either direct or secondary aggravation basis and remanded the issue.,The Board also found insufficient evidence to support service connection for a right knee disability on either direct or secondary aggravation basis and remanded the issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes, deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.