PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The appeal for service connection of PTSD was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to establish whether the Veteran's PTSD caused or contributed substantially to his cause of death, and thus remands for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD and neurocognitive disorder was evaluated at various levels of disability from October 21, 2010 to September 9, 2020. The evaluation ranged from 30% to 70%, but no higher.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and major depressive disorder render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his mental incapacity, which requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect him from the hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment.

The rating reduction from 70 percent to 50 percent for PTSD was not proper, and the Veteran's disability rating is restored.,Service connection for sleep apnea due to service or service-connected PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 20, 2023 for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim was continuously pursued after he submitted a properly completed VA Form 20-0995 Supplemental Claim Application within one year of receiving notice of intent to file.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with Adjustment Disorder and Anxiety was not productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to June 6, 2019.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective August 12, 2024. The initial rating for IBS was granted at 30 percent, effective August 10, 2022. Ratings for other conditions were denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, and the service connection claims for cervical spine disorder and left upper extremity radiculopathy were also denied. The Board found that the severity of the Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher than 50 percent rating.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claim contesting the timeliness of the July 12, 2019 Notice of Disagreement for issues related to PTSD and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's spouse caregiver applied for eligibility to enroll in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to her need for personal care services. The Board found that the Veteran is able to independently perform activities of daily living and does not require supervision or protection based on symptoms or injuries, thus denying his eligibility.

The Board has remanded the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including failing to attempt to corroborate the Veteran's in-service stressors and obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding her psychiatric disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as secondary to the combined effects of service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) associated with PTSD, bruxism, and migraines including migraine variants.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of a head injury and PTSD as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to any decision being made.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD was granted, with a new effective date of November 4, 2025. The issue of earlier effective dates for the increase in rating is also addressed and resolved.

The Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for PTSD and entitlement to a TDIU rating prior to September 4, 2019 are being remanded due to the AOJ failing to obtain treatment records from the Princeton Vet Center.

The Board has found a duty to assist error occurred and remands the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran needs regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and lumbosacral strain are granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) is denied.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and unspecified alcohol-related disorder due to a lack of complete record.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 30, 2021. The effective date was not granted as there was no factually ascertainable increase in his service-connected disabilities within one year of the TDIU claim.