PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Schizophrenia, due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to her brief period of active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants an initial rating of 70 percent, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The veteran's PTSD causes occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms including sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, depression, and social isolation. The Board finds that a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD is warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, which was previously denied in May 1991. The additional medical records provided since then suggest that the veteran might have PTSD related to his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence of an inservice stressor and that the veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by anxiety, depression, difficulty with concentration, sleep impairment, flat affect and memory problems. However, his social and industrial impairment is more than moderate but less than rather large, resulting in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the appeals for increased ratings on gastrointestinal disability and hemorrhoids were denied. The Board found that the current rating of 30 percent adequately reflects the severity of the PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of evidence establishing an in-service stressor and no credible supporting evidence from sources other than his own account.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as he did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU prior to May 29, 2000.

The VA Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted a higher rating for the service-connected PTSD from 30% to 50%. The disability picture more nearly approximates that of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD is principally manifested by insomnia, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, depression, isolation, nightmares, flashbacks, intermittent suicidal ideation, impaired impulse control, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and memory impairment. The disability picture does not meet the criteria for a 100 percent evaluation due to total occupational and social impairment.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the maximum rating available under current criteria. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) found that the veteran does not have PTSD that was incurred in or aggravated by his active service.

The Board has determined that a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD is warranted, effective May 28, 1997.

The Board has granted a 50 percent disability evaluation for PTSD, effective from the date of the decision. The claim for service connection for hypertension is reopened.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of service connection for an anxiety disorder, finding that it is related to his military service. The claim for PTSD was denied as there was no verified in-service stressor.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD with alcohol dependency is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has granted a 100 percent rating based on total social and industrial inadaptability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, as the newly added evidence does not provide independent verification or corroboration of the claimed stressors.

The veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 50 percent should be effective from December 1, 1998.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The VA examiner found that there was no credible evidence of a rape during service and concluded that any current mental health issues are related to her personality disorders rather than service events.