PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for PTSD, finding that the veteran's symptoms do not warrant a higher rating based on his Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores and overall functioning.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The decision found that there was no credible medical evidence showing a link between the veteran's current conditions and her service.

The Board granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the service-connected back disability, effective October 6, 1990.

The veteran's appeal involves the propriety of initial ratings for his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from December 13, 1996 to September 28, 1999 and a subsequent increase in rating to 30 percent effective from September 29, 1999. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are not.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his PTSD service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's death was due to a service-connected disability, specifically his PTSD. The Board found that the service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to the cause of death.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest schedular evaluation (100%) since May 1998, and his tinnitus is also rated at its maximum schedular evaluation (10%). The dermatitis of the left foot and onychomycosis of the left great toe are currently rated at zero percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well-grounded and have been denied. The appeals were based on various conditions, but the evidence did not support a finding of service connection due to lack of medical evidence or plausible diagnoses.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of verified stressors. The low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective September 3, 1992.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by severe symptoms, including nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. He has a Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score of 40 to 50, indicating moderate impairment in social functioning.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and his residuals of a gunshot wound to the right lower leg with superficial nerve loss are rated at 10 percent. The appeal for higher ratings has been granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no diagnosis of PTSD and thus the claim is not well-grounded.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD as there was no competent medical evidence to support his current diagnosis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected based on direct evidence of a stressor related to his combat experiences during service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) found that the veteran does not have PTSD related to his military service and denied both the claim for PTSD and the reopening of a previous psychiatric disorder claim.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder during service or within one year post-service, and did not link any current psychiatric disorders to the veteran's service. The Board also noted that PTSD diagnoses were based on claimed incidents involving acts of violence by the veteran against others, which were not corroborated.

The Board denied service connection for a throat disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, granted service connection for sinusitis with a 10 percent rating, and denied a compensable rating for a scar on the right wrist as a residual of a wart removal.

The veteran's claim for higher ratings for PTSD is being remanded due to his failure to appear at a scheduled hearing. An effective date earlier than November 25, 1997, for service connection of PTSD is also pending and requires preparation of a statement of the case.

The veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling.