PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, sleep apnea, diabetes, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and tinnitus, have precluded him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment. His TDIU is granted as of January 1, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, but his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and a mood disorder, NOS, is granted.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective May 11, 2016, based on his service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The effective date is set at January 25, 2016, as this is the earliest date that an increase in disability can be factually ascertainable.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and chronic depression has been denied by the Board. The evidence shows that her symptoms include suicidal ideations, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, continuous depression affecting her ability to function effectively, increased anger and irritability, depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, an impairment of short- and long-term memory, disturbance of motivation and mood, and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances. However, these symptoms are characterized as mildly to moderately severe with similar impacts on her daily social and occupational functioning.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence showing he is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to February 14, 2011 are remanded due to the need to locate missing records and determine when the claims were filed.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to August 31, 2012 and June 18, 2013 are also remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD and MDD have been rated at 70 percent effective June 19, 2014. The Board found that the symptoms caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, and the claim for an initial compensable rating is denied.,For accrued benefits purposes, a higher than 20 percent rating for residuals of Muscle Group II injury involving the right chest wall is not granted. The current rating remains at 20 percent.,The Veteran's PTSD was rated as 50 percent since May 9, 2012, and a higher than 50 percent rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD with neurocognitive disorder prior to January 19, 2017 and from January 19, 2017 to January 29, 2020 was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for ischemic heart disease associated with herbicide exposure prior to January 20, 2017 was denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as due to herbicide agent exposure was granted under the PACT Act.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Parkinson's disease was remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for ischemic heart disease associated with herbicide exposure from January 20, 2017 was remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension secondary to service-connected ischemic heart disease and/or service-connected Parkinson's disease, and as being due to herbicide exposure was remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 9, 2017 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD and hypothyroidism) render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The appeal of a higher rating for PTSD has been dismissed because no argument was made by the appellant and the issue was deemed abandoned.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for mental health disorders and diabetes mellitus, type II due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's psychiatric disability is being evaluated again, and his diabetes may be related to his diagnosed psychiatric condition.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from February 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016. However, the Board denied TDIU for the period January 1, 2017 to May 16, 2018.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus, but has remanded the claim for a psychiatric disability (PTSD) due to insufficient evidence. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for Multiple Sclerosis due to exposure to herbicide agents and for a psychiatric disorder including diagnosed PTSD and MDD.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for hearing loss is denied, and a TDIU prior to June 24, 2021, is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD due to incomplete development and lack of an examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but he seeks a rating in excess of this. The Board denied his claim as the evidence does not show total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but has remanded the issue of secondary service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective January 19, 2010.,A TDIU due to PTSD alone is granted effective December 28, 2013.,Special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate is granted effective December 28, 2013.