PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, for a new VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The VA has determined that his anxiety symptoms are already addressed by his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for an anxiety disorder separate from PTSD was denied as it is considered duplicative of the existing PTSD diagnosis.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety is granted at a 70 percent rating from September 29, 2020, to October 3, 2023. The evidence does not more nearly approximate the criteria for an initial higher than 70 percent rating.

The appeal was dismissed for issues related to duty-to-assist errors and differences of opinion, while service connection for left foot disorder and right foot disorder was denied. The claims for migraines, bilateral knee disorders, PTSD, and TDIU were remanded.

The Veteran's claim for chronic bronchitis cough was granted. The left wrist disability, acquired psychiatric disabilities (anxiety, insomnia, short-term memory loss and lack of concentration, social adjustment disorder with anger issues), bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, vitamin D deficiency, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and skin disability (shingles) were denied. The Veteran's upper respiratory infection(s) other than chronic bronchitis was not addressed in the decision.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD but granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, diagnosed as unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA as it was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, with alcohol use disorder, MDD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD is denied. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU is moot due to the assignment of a 100 percent rating for his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and his GERD and hypertension claims are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70% since December 8, 2023. The Board found no evidence of higher ratings prior to March 18, 2022.

The Board has remanded several claims due to duty-to-assist errors, including the need to obtain SSA records related to the Veteran's disability benefits application and earnings history.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 28, 2021, for the award of service connection for PTSD due to personal trauma with MDD and GAD is denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to personal trauma with MDD and GAD is also denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding whether to reduce the Veteran's disability rating for PTSD and other specified depressive disorder from 70 percent to 50 percent, as the January 2022 decision proposing such reduction was not a final decision. The June 2022 decision reducing the rating to 50 percent was found improper due to insufficient evidence of improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher rating of PTSD, and the claim is dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and PTSD. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, but the rating for unspecified anxiety disorder with insomnia disorder remains remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder is rated at a 70 percent rating, which is the maximum available under current VA regulations. The Board found that her symptoms did not warrant a higher rating due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Board has determined that a 70 percent rating is warranted for the Veteran's PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent effective June 27, 2017.,An earlier effective date for TDIU is dismissed as the claim was not raised within one year of the RO decision denying an earlier effective date in August 2017.,Effective SMC based on housebound criteria is granted from June 27, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also denied, with the Board finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.