PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2001

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further assistance in verifying the veteran's claimed stressors and determining whether they are sufficient to support a diagnosis of PTSD.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the highest initial rating available under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a psychiatric examination and additional medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a verified in-service stressor and concluding that the veteran does not have PTSD as a consequence of military service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent schedular evaluation.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has remanded the case for additional development due to changes in the law and procedural requirements.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD, and his depressive disorder, right shoulder tendinitis, and left knee arthritis are not service-connected. The rating for residuals of shell fragment wound to the right leg remains at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development of evidence regarding the veteran's claimed stressors and service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was initially filed in August 1994. The RO requested additional evidence, but the veteran did not respond or provide the requested information. His representative submitted an informal claim on his behalf on March 28, 1996, which led to a formal claim being filed by the veteran on August 16, 1996. After considering the abandonment of earlier claims and the timing of the new claims, the effective date for service connection was set at March 28, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a lumbar spine disorder, as well as his claim for an increased evaluation for infectious hepatitis. The decision also dismissed his original evaluations for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of a skin rash.

The VA denied service connection for chronic acquired psychiatric disability and PTSD. The veteran's request for a hearing before the Board was not addressed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent disability rating, reflecting occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is a result of his inservice stressors during service in Vietnam, and thus service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, finding that the disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent from March 1, 2000.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 31, 2000, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date set at August 31, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and PTSD, finding that new evidence did not reopen the claim of an acquired psychiatric disorder and that there was no credible in-service stressor to support a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), currently rated at 50 percent. The appeal is based on the severity of PTSD symptoms and their impact on employment.

The veteran's PTSD has been manifested by symptoms such as nightmares, intrusive recollections, social withdrawal, poor concentration, clinical depression, and irritability with others. The VA determined that a higher initial rating of 50% is warranted for PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder. The appeal is based on reopening of a previously denied claim due to new evidence.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability picture without warranting a higher rating.