PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding it is at least as likely as not that the condition resulted from personal assault during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD rating and service connection for a lumbar spine disability have been dismissed. The claim for service connection of a breathing condition is remanded due to the need for clarification on when asthma manifested.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased PTSD rating and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine if he has a personality disorder, which may affect his PTSD symptoms. Additionally, the TDIU claim will be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration prior to June 2, 2021.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining updated treatment records and providing an addendum VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has determined that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's death, which may involve his service-connected conditions. The Appellant believes he died from a heart attack due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary due to the inadequacy of the May 2015 VA examination and the need for further evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and effective dates have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and earlier effective date claims have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for PTSD, hypertension, and an irregular heartbeat due to new and material evidence. The claims are REMANDED for further development including verifying the in-service stressor and obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between her conditions and service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which reflects significant occupational and social impairment. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and his TDIU claim prior to May 16, 2019, was denied due to the presence of other service-connected disabilities that allowed him to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection and rating as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70% disability rating for the period from October 17, 2018 through October 29, 2020. The Veteran was also granted TDIU effective January 1, 2020.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder, not otherwise specified, is rated at 70 percent. Increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity are denied. Increased ratings for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) and left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) are granted.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including work, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to service-connected conditions, including PTSD with TBI residuals, heart disability, wrist and ankle disabilities, cervical spine spondylosis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathy. The Board has found these issues remanded for further development.,The Veteran's PTSD with TBI residuals is currently rated as 50 percent disabling.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including vertigo, dizziness, back pain, hearing loss, PTSD, and MDD, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Board denied an effective date prior to February 12, 2016, for the award of service connection for PTSD as the Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for this condition before that date.