PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The Board's June 1990 decision denying service connection for PTSD is reversed due to the presence of verified stressors, leading to a new effective date for the grant of service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a concussion, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disorder. The claim for PTSD was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the grant of service connection for drug and alcohol abuse as secondary to PTSD was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, and thus restored service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted due to exposure to combat-related stressors during his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, and it is well-grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for shell fragment wound scars of the left chest areas due to his failure to report for VA examinations. The Board granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (IU) as the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, rendered him unable to obtain and retain all kinds of substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no diagnosis of PTSD based on verified in-service stressful experiences.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD was incurred in his military service and granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of a head injury, and an increased evaluation for nose fracture. The claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The effective date for the current 10% disability evaluation for nose fracture remains unchanged.

The Board denied the claims of service connection for a back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, stomach disorder, headache disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent effective June 1, 1992. This decision confirms and continues the previous rating.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected right wrist disability and PTSD do not warrant a higher rating, with the current evaluations of 30 percent for each condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for PTSD, finding that his service-connected PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by total occupational and social impairment, including symptoms such as social isolation, chronic depression, bitterness, poorly controlled hostility and irritability, flat affect, memory impairment, cognitive deficits, emotional numbness, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, anhedonia, hyperarousal, and suicidal ideation. The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 100 percent disability rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining more recent VA clinical records and scheduling the veteran for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the extent of his service-connected PTSD.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD results in no more than definite social and industrial impairment, warranting a 30 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected psychotic depressive reaction and PTSD, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities. The appeal was not about service connection at all.

The case is being remanded to the RO for further development of the veteran's claimed Vietnam stressors and subsequent readjudication.

The Board determined that the veteran's PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there were no verifiable stressors reported during his service. The claim for PTSD was denied.