PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security records and verifying stressors. The veteran's PTSD claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a grant of service connection for PTSD, finding that the effective date cannot be earlier than December 29, 1989, as this is when the Phoenix RO received the veteran's original claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at private hospitals on February 6, 1998 and March 28, 1998 is granted. The conditions treated were associated with his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for the veteran's PTSD, finding that his symptoms meet the criteria for such an evaluation based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The veteran's appeal of the October 1991 decision was successful, and he is now entitled to a 30 percent evaluation for his post-traumatic stress disorder. The issue of an earlier effective date for the grant of a 100 percent rating remains pending.

The Board has restored the veteran's 100 percent evaluation for PTSD, finding that there was no material improvement in his condition at the time of the reduction and that he should have been rated based on ordinary conditions of life.

The Board has found new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD. The claim is now considered on its merits.

The veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder is well grounded and the issue will be remanded to allow further development.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the award of a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability should be November 21, 1994.

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 50 percent for the service-connected PTSD, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is granted.

The Board granted an effective date of May 9, 2000 for a 100% disability rating for PTSD.

The VA has increased the veteran's evaluation for PTSD from 10 percent to 30 percent, effective April 1995. The current rating of 30 percent is based on the criteria in effect prior to November 7, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of combat and insufficient corroborated stressors to support the diagnosis. The preponderance of the evidence did not support the veteran's claims.

The Board found that the appellant's PTSD was not incurred during service and denied his claim.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD is denied. The Board found that there was no legal basis to grant an earlier effective date, and the most recent effective date assigned was August 25, 1986.

The veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling, and the Board finds no evidence to support a higher rating based on his current symptoms.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence to support his claimed in-service stressors and thus no basis for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and PTSD due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The veteran's PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment, allowing for a 100% rating. However, as the schedular rating is already at 100%, he cannot be granted a TDIU rating.