PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD, and the claim is well grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence supporting his claimed stressors and concluding that he did not have PTSD.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The low back disorder is currently rated at 40 percent, PTSD at 30 percent, resulting in a combined rating of 70 percent.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence submitted by the veteran. The claim will now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a grant of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) because it was not factually ascertainable that his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, precluded him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment within one year prior to October 28, 1997.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted an increased rating to a 70 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that his symptoms more nearly approximate those required for a 70 percent disability rating.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and that the diagnosed antisocial personality disorder is not related to military service.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD was denied as it was not factually ascertainable that there had been an increase in the severity of his PTSD prior to March 1, 1996.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice-connected pension benefits is granted, with the effective date set at March 6, 1992.

The veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is plausible and capable of substantiation, and the Board finds it a well-grounded claim. The RO should verify any reported stressors or stressful events in service to support the claim.

The Board found that the appellant did not engage in combat and there is no credible evidence of the claimed stressors. Therefore, service connection for PTSD was denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus in the right ear has been reopened, and he is now entitled to a 70 percent evaluation for his PTSD with major depression.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that the new evidence submitted was not material and did not provide credible supporting evidence of a stressor occurrence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disability other than PTSD, right ear hearing loss, gastritis, and muscle tension/migraine headaches have not been well grounded. The claim for low back sprain has been granted with a 20% rating, while the claim for right knee disability has been granted with a 10% rating.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal because he did not file an adequate substantive appeal for his claims of service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder, hypertension, and memory loss as a result of exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent disability evaluation, reflecting total occupational and social impairment.

The veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his service-connected PTSD. The RO granted service connection and assigned a noncompensable disability rating, but the veteran contends that his disability is more severe than what is currently rated.

The veteran's PTSD and left foot disability have been granted increased ratings, with the PTSD rated at 50 percent disabling effective April 16, 1996.