PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The Board granted an increased rating of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine and a 30 percent rating for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), effective from January 1996. The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from January 1996 to April 1998, and at 100 percent beginning in April 1998.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD is manifested by marked anxiety with moderate depression, impaired insight, loss of interest in life, a hopeless and helpless attitude, impaired employment and social relationships, social withdrawal, impaired sleep, recurring suicidal and homicidal ideation, obsessive/compulsive behavior, exaggerated startle response and hypervigilence. The Board concluded that the preponderance of evidence supports a finding that the 70 percent disability rating for PTSD is appropriate.

The veteran's PTSD has resulted in severe social isolation and inability to obtain or retain employment, warranting a 100% evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and residuals of exposure to Agent Orange (AO) due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active duty.

The Board has granted a 50 percent disability rating for the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), effective from the date of service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing the presence of this disorder.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss was not well grounded, and his PTSD rating was granted at a 10 percent level.

The VA determined that there is no competent medical evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD, and thus the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of November 6, 1989 for a 100 percent rating for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the increase in severity of PTSD symptoms prior to this date was not factually ascertainable.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of secondary service connection for injuries sustained as a result of VA treatment for his service-connected PTSD in August 1995, finding that the claim was not well-grounded.

The Board denied a disability evaluation greater than 50 percent for PTSD prior to February 25, 1993, finding that the veteran's service-connected PTSD warranted a 70 percent schedular evaluation from February 3, 1988 to February 24, 1993.

The veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder has caused him to be unable to obtain or retain gainful employment, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is not well-grounded due to a lack of a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV and insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to an in-service stressor.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD and alcohol dependence are considered, but the primary issue is whether his current evaluation of 50 percent for psychoneurosis should be increased. The veteran's psychiatric condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent and the Board has granted a 100 percent schedular rating, effectively granting a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since November 7, 1996. Prior to that date, the disability was rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD results in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss. The Board finds that the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for PTSD due to lack of combat exposure and inability to verify the claimed in-service sexual assault.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for an extension of his eligibility period for vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31, Title 38.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating, and thus denies his claim.