PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The veteran is seeking an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected PTSD, currently rated at 70 percent. The RO must schedule the veteran for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the current level of severity of his PTSD and assign appropriate ratings.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to inadequate development and consideration of the evidence. The RO must provide additional VA examinations, obtain medical records, conduct a social and industrial survey, and schedule a psychiatric examination.

The veteran's death was not caused by his own willful misconduct. The Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as he did not have a right to receive total service-connected disability compensation from VA for at least 10 years prior to his death.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 16, 1988 for the veteran's 100 percent disability rating for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed PTSD is not service-connected due to lack of credible supporting evidence regarding the occurrence of the alleged in-service stressors. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is also denied as there is no well-grounded evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and conducting VA examinations to determine if the veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board determined that the veteran's substantive appeal of the March 1994 rating decision was not timely filed, and thus did not have jurisdiction to review the merits of the claim. The claims for service connection for PTSD, tinnitus, a skin disorder (including itching over the entire body), and alcohol abuse were reopened based on new and material evidence submitted by the veteran. However, the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and infertility remain denied as they are not supported by competent medical evidence showing a direct relationship to service.

The veteran's PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment, and he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that the veteran meets the criteria for a 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD under both old and new criteria.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for PTSD was denied as he did not report for necessary medical evaluations and abandoned his initial claims in 1969.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating for compensation purposes on the basis of individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The highest level of education attained by the veteran was two years of college with an associate's degree in applied science machine tool technology.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as his requests for increased evaluations. The claims were not reopened because no new and material evidence was presented. The veteran's PTSD claim remains at 30%.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder, neck disorder, PTSD, and lower back disorder as not well-grounded. The evidence submitted since previous decisions does not provide new or material evidence to reopen any of these claims.

The March 20, 1984 rating decision granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 50 percent disability rating. The evidence at that time did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, PTSD, and bronchial asthma. The veteran's claims of service connection for these conditions were not well-grounded, and new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims.

The veteran's notice of disagreement with the October 1997 RO rating decision denying an increased evaluation for PTSD was not received within one year of notification, and thus is considered untimely. As a result, the Board does not have jurisdiction to review this issue.

The Board has determined that the case requires further examination and development due to unclear medical evaluations, incomplete application for TDIU, procedural defects in the adjudication of the claim, and the need to distinguish between PTSD disability and alcohol abuse.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, left knee disorder, headaches, and tinnitus are well-grounded. However, due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any incident therein, the claims have been denied.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest possible schedular evaluation of 100 percent, reflecting total social and occupational impairment.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that it is a direct service-connected condition.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.