PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the November 2020 VA examination. A new medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is remanded due to the need for additional VA records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left arm disability, including left arm shakes, and his initial PTSD rating are both denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of a left arm condition or PTSD symptoms severe enough to warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of October 13, 2000, for the grant of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder is denied. The Veteran's eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits was granted on January 26, 2011.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error regarding his mental state at the time of misconduct leading to his discharge. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on housebound status is denied because he does not have a single service-connected disability rated as total (100%) with an additional service-connected disability or disabilities independently ratable at 60%. The Veteran's TDIU was based on multiple service-connected disabilities, not a single disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder (PTSD with MDD). The evidence is in approximate balance regarding whether PTSD with MDD caused or aggravated obesity, which led to OSA.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to reported military sexual trauma during service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is granted, and the claim for Depression is remanded due to insufficient examination.

Effective July 1, 2016, and no earlier, the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with MDD is rated at 100 percent. Effective October 30, 2020, she also receives a 100 percent rating for her PTSD with MDD and SMC based on the statutory housebound criteria.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the August 2003 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for impotence, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions as there is no persuasive evidence that they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.,His hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent and requires continuous medication for control.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for the award of a TDIU, finding that January 8, 2021, is the appropriate effective date based on the date of receipt of the intent to file. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD was not raised as a separate issue prior to this decision.

The Veteran withdrew the issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD prior to the promulgation of a decision. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective February 8, 2018. The appeal is dismissed as the award of TDIU has already occurred and meets the criteria for dismissal.

The Veteran's PTSD and agoraphobia are currently rated at 30 percent, which is the minimum rating for these conditions. The Board found that the symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for an increased disability rating.

The Veteran's eligibility for direct payment of fees based on past-due benefits awarded in an April 2020 Board of Veterans Appeals decision is denied due to the failure to file a valid, written fee agreement with VA within 30 days of its execution.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of PTSD, and the Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from being able to prepare for, obtain, or maintain suitable employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests. The Board denied the Veteran's request for VR&E benefits as he did not meet the criteria for an employment handicap.