PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2001

The veteran's service connection for PTSD is granted as her sexual trauma in the military resulted in PTSD.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the veteran's Vietnam service and obtain any available medical records, including those related to his Social Security disability benefits. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and no verified in-service stressor.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent disabling for accrued benefits purposes. Service connection for hypertension/arteriosclerotic heart disease as secondary to PTSD is granted, but service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease and the cause of death are denied.

The Board has granted a 100% rating for the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder, effective from January 20, 2000.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has decided that the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied. The BVA found insufficient evidence to support a finding of service stressors and thus could not establish a link between current symptoms and an in-service stressor.

PTSD and fibromyalgia were granted with evaluations, with PTSD receiving a 50% rating from April 26, 1994, and fibromyalgia with chronic fatigue syndrome receiving a 40% evaluation from October 10, 1995.,The veteran's TDIU claim was also granted effective from October 10, 1995.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, finding that there was insufficient evidence to corroborate his claimed in-service stressors.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, effective from December 21, 1998. The RO granted entitlement to a higher rating and earlier effective dates for his service-connected PTSD.

The appellant has withdrawn their appeal and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review it.

The Board has determined that the veteran's period of active service from October 1967 to January 1968 was honorable, but his second period of service (July 1969 to January 1971) ended with an other than honorable discharge. As a result, any disability incurred during this latter period is not eligible for VA benefits. The Board also found that the veteran did not have any stressors related to his first period of active service, and thus could not establish service connection for PTSD based on direct evidence.

The VA has granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD effective as of February 2000, based on evidence showing that the veteran's level of functioning had decreased at that time.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 7, 1997 for the award of a 50 percent disability rating for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and denied service connection for arthritis of the left hand and right leg as secondary to the service connected gunshot wounds. The veteran's tinnitus claim is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD. The issue is now remanded for further development, including verification of stressors.

The veteran seeks fee-basis psychiatric care due to her PTSD, but the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque is deemed capable of providing necessary psychiatric care. The case is remanded for further development.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for hepatitis. The decision found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher PTSD rating, and his hepatitis was determined to be unrelated to military service.

The veteran is seeking a higher initial disability rating for his service-connected PTSD. The RO has been instructed to obtain treatment records and conduct an examination to assess the severity of his PTSD, as well as any other psychiatric conditions he may have. They are also advised to consider staged ratings and referral for review under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b).

The veteran's claim for service connection for major depression was denied, while his eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 was granted with a permanent and total disability rating of 100% assigned.