PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is causally related to his service in combat in Vietnam, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the claim for service connection for PTSD due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted increased evaluations, with a 50% rating prior to September 5, 2019 and a 70% rating from that date onward.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's death and unexplained absence, but the appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability remains. The issues include establishing PTSD based on corroborated stressors and determining if any current psychiatric conditions are related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities remains pending and has been remanded.,The Veteran's bilateral foot disability is also pending and has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to VA's Director of Compensation Service for consideration of assignment of an extraschedular TDIU rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD, Lumbar Spine Condition, and Cervical Spine Condition due to new evidence received after the January 2016 denial. The Veteran's current service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent from February 18, 2011 to July 13, 2016 and at 50 percent from July 14, 2016 to May 19, 2021. The rating is based on the severity of symptoms consistent with a 70 percent disability rating under the General Formula for Mental Disorders.

The Board has determined that new evidence received after the March 2019 denial supports readjudicating the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and various drug and alcohol use disorders. However, the Board found no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors related to Saigon or other claimed incidents during military service, leading to a denial of these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination despite the presence of a corroborated stressor.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 23, 2018 for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, alcohol use disorder, and persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress is currently rated at 70 percent. The Board finds that the symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a hearing loss disorder is granted, and his PTSD rating is increased to 70 percent. The issue of entitlement to TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus disabilities meet the criteria for a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU). Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is also established.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his reported in-service stressors.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal after receiving service connection for major depressive disorder and a combined rating increase to 100 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and prostate cancer were denied. The claim for prostate cancer was remanded due to the need for additional evidence regarding herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and will require a new VA mental health examination.

The Veteran's claims for a 70 percent rating prior to May 14, 2019, for PTSD with adjustment disorder; an effective date prior to February 4, 2020, for TDIU and DEA benefits are remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his employment history during the appeal period.