PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms were at least in equipoise with occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas during the period from October 14, 2014 to November 30, 2015.,PTSD did not manifest as total occupational and social impairment at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms prior to October 19, 2020 resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD prior to that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to gather more information about his employment as a business owner and operator, including the type of work performed, hours worked per week, time lost due to service-connected disabilities, gross income, and net income earned by the business.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the claimed in-service stressors actually occurred.,Service connection for psychiatric disorders other than PTSD, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, was denied as there is no credible supporting evidence that the Veteran's reported stressors actually occurred.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine disability, right and left upper extremity disabilities, acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and radiculopathy are denied. The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective July 17, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a skin disability was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, is granted based on evidence showing that it is related to active duty service. The Board also found that the Veteran's hypertension may be secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,The case is remanded to determine if the Veteran's hypertension is due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for TBI with headaches and dizziness, and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to assess current severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder was granted effective May 1, 2013. The effective date for PTSD is set at August 18, 2009.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and service connection for chloracne and a sleep disorder were denied. The decision also found that the Veteran does not meet criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD, Lung Cancer, and Tinnitus have been rated at 100% since September 27, 2016. The Board has granted a 100% rating for PTSD effective from that date, as well as a TDIU based on the combined effect of these service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD was denied as the intent to file a claim and the claim to reopen were filed after June 19, 2014.,TDIU is granted effective April 21, 2015. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and a left shoulder disability due to lack of corroborated in-service stressors and insufficient evidence linking current disabilities to service, respectively. The case is remanded for further development including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling an examination for the left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding the Veteran's claim for TDIU. The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected lumbar spine disability and PTSD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete development and inadequate medical opinions. The issues include PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, lumbar spine disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various lower extremity disabilities, including right hip, left hip, right ankle, left ankle, and right foot disabilities, as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease, was at least as likely as not related to his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from August 26, 2015 to April 21, 2020. The VA found that the Veteran's symptoms of anxiety, panic attacks, and sleep issues met the criteria for a 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has resulted in his inability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 5, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with alcohol abuse/dependency is granted, and his TDIU claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, sleep disorder, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The case will be readjudicated following compliance with the Board's previous remand directives.