PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2000

The veteran seeks an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for post-traumatic stress disorder, which was granted by the RO in June 1996. The case is being remanded to obtain additional VA medical records from various facilities.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a skin disease and granted an increased rating for the right knee disability. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The veteran's appeal for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied.,The veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD prior to May 28, 1999 remains pending.,The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 19, 1995, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is not well grounded and therefore denied.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD, finding that the veteran's claim was not entitled to an earlier effective date based on the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 5110 and VA regulations.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at the highest possible evaluation of 100 percent, reflecting total occupational and social impairment.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat and there was no credible supporting evidence for a claimed sexual assault stressor. As such, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted a 100% evaluation for the veteran's PTSD, effective July 13, 1998, due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, sarcoma, vocal cord condition, stomach condition, meningitis, and dandruff, are not well-grounded. As a result, these claims have been denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD warrants a disability rating of 70 percent since December 12, 1996.

The Board has found that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is well grounded and remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues regarding missing service records and a request for information from the Korean consulate. The appellant's claim of service connection for PTSD is being reviewed again.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD symptoms, including anxiety, depression, suspiciousness or paranoia, panic attacks, and chronic sleep impairment, corresponded with a 30 percent disability rating under VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The Board concluded that these symptoms did not more nearly approximate those of the next higher or 50 percent rating.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 10 percent from December 1995 and increased to 30 percent in April 1998. The current rating of 50 percent is granted, reflecting severe impairment.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals found that the veteran was not prevented from engaging in all forms of substantially gainful employment solely as a result of his service-connected disabilities prior to March 27, 1995 and thus denied an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 50 percent for PTSD, effective from January 29, 1993. The veteran's cardiovascular disability is rated at 30 percent with tinnitus also rated at 10 percent, both effective October 15, 1997. An earlier effective date for TDIU and service connection for tinnitus has been granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than June 27, 1994, for a total rating for PTSD and for permanence of a total disability rating for PTSD. The RO must schedule the veteran for a VA psychiatric examination to determine whether his PTSD is permanently disabling.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his active military service.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was not well-grounded due to a lack of medical evidence diagnosing PTSD. The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was also denied as his disabilities did not meet the objective standard of being unemployable due to lifetime disability.