PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for residuals of a left finger injury is dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability and the evidence does not support its onset during service or within one year after separation.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as PTSD) is remanded. The Board requires VA to attempt to corroborate in-service stressors and provide a medical examination to determine if the condition is related to service.,The Veteran's claim for residuals of traumatic brain injury (claimed as a head injury) is remanded. A medical examination is required to determine if his current symptoms are related to an in-service head injury.,The Veteran's claim for a bilateral eye disability is remanded. The VA must provide a medical examination to determine if the condition is related to service and/or aggravated by any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since August 11, 2011. Effective January 1, 2019, the Veteran was granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to November 25, 2014. The appeal for higher ratings remains pending and requires additional development of the record.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The cases for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD), and lumbar strain are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury require additional consideration due to newly added service treatment records. The case is being remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, was dismissed. The claims for higher ratings related to his right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and left knee strain were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions were denied effective dates prior to April 23, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The issues of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with polysubstance abuse and service connection for right lower extremity shrapnel wounds are being returned to the AOJ for additional examination and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore service connection is denied. The case is remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule a VA examination to determine if any other psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, is related to active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and alcohol use disorder is remanded due to the inadequacy of the October 2020 VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting an initial 70 percent rating from January 13, 2016 to February 7, 2018.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, major depressive disorder, and PTSD, are found to be directly related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU based on PTSD alone, combined with other disabilities, meets the schedular requirements for SMC based on housebound status during the periods under consideration.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease is granted as secondary to herbicide agent exposure.,PTSD and depressive disorder are rated at 50 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.,Bilateral hearing loss has a non-compensable rating.,Prostate cancer remains in remission; the Veteran's current symptoms do not warrant an increased rating.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (femoral nerve) is rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2017 and at 20 percent from that date onward.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (femoral nerve) remains at a 20 percent rating.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 40 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 40 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. His initial rating for bilateral pes planus prior to August 24, 2020, remains at 10 percent; however, a higher rating of 50 percent is assigned from that date onwards.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to non-compliance with prior remands. The AOJ is required to verify if there was a Naval collision involving the Tugboat Oshkosh and a U.S. Navy submarine in May 1973 at Norfolk, Virginia. If unconfirmed, an examination will be arranged to determine if the Veteran has depression disorder and its relationship to PTSD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) is granted, but the issue of service connection for PTSD remains pending and requires further examination to determine if it is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent, then increased to 50 percent effective January 9, 2018. From that date until June 19, 2018, the rating remained at 50 percent. After June 19, 2018, a 70 percent disability rating was granted.

The Veteran's PTSD with parasomnia is granted at a 100% rating, effective from the date of the decision. The issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100% disability rating for PTSD.