PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2001

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of May 20, 2000 for a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records from a VA physician and arranging for the veteran to undergo an examination. The case will be returned to the RO for further review.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal as he did not file a timely Substantive Appeal regarding the denial of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The veteran's appeal was dismissed because he did not file a timely Substantive Appeal regarding the RO's August 1998 award of service connection for PTSD and assignment of a 50 percent disability rating.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Board found no legal basis for a schedular evaluation in excess of 40 percent for residuals of a shrapnel wound of the left leg with atrophy and peroneal nerve palsy with foot drop. The appellant's PTSD was rated as 70 percent since November 1998.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased evaluation for PTSD, currently rated at 50 percent.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent disabling, effective from the date of his claim.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD symptoms, including depression and anxiety, have resulted in social and occupational impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. Therefore, a 30 percent rating for PTSD is granted.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by intrusive thoughts, sleep difficulties, anger, anxiety, and occasional thoughts of harming others. The Board has determined that the disability picture most nearly approximates a 50 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence to indicate the veteran currently has PTSD, and thus service connection for PTSD cannot be granted.

The Board has reopened the claim for PTSD due to new evidence, but service connection is not granted as there is no confirmed in-service stressor or diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD, as the additional evidence is cumulative or redundant of previous evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is causally linked to in-service stressors and grants service connection for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a machete wound on the right lower extremity and assigned a 10 percent rating. The veteran's mortar injury to the left hip with residual scar (Muscle Group XVII) is rated at 20 percent, effective August 13, 1997. Service connection for PTSD has been granted and rated at 50 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of reopening his service connection for PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence, despite previous diagnoses.

The Board found that the RO improperly reduced the evaluations assigned to the veteran's PTSD from 100 percent to 70 percent, effective January 1, 1999, and from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective September 1, 1999.

The veteran's PTSD is productive of total occupational impairment, and the Board has determined that a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD is warranted.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent, as his symptoms did not warrant the more severe ratings associated with greater occupational and social impairment.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 and other relevant laws.