PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2002

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there is no objective evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD and concluding that it was not incurred in or aggravated during his military service.

The veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted, as the Board finds that he experienced sufficient stressors in service to meet the criteria for PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD and concluding that any symptoms he experienced were more consistent with psychosis.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder as there was no medical evidence of a diagnosis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD was incurred during service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran does not suffer from PTSD and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for PTSD effective June 18, 2002. The veteran's original claim for service connection was received on November 10, 1986, and his discharge had been upgraded to honorable as of September 18, 1989.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, residuals of malaria, residuals of yellow jaundice, a heart disability, or prostate cancer.

The Board found that the veteran's claims of in-service combat exposure and PTSD stressors are not credible, as his service records do not support these claims. As a result, the claim for service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Board found no credible supporting evidence of the in-service stressor related to gas mask training, and thus denied the claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to new medical evidence showing an assessment of PTSD. The issue will be further addressed in a separate decision.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by severe impairment of his ability to establish and maintain effective social relationships, considerable impairment of his occupational abilities, irritability, angry outbursts, avoidance of others outside his immediate family, flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and intrusive thoughts. The criteria for a 70 percent evaluation have been met.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 100 percent is not warranted due to the severity of his symptoms.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal concerning an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective August 12, 1999. The RO also granted a rating of individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities as of this date.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood due to near continuous panic and depression affecting the ability to function.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, frostbite residuals, and arthritis of the knees, ankles, and lumbar spine, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for PTSD, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has granted a 100 percent evaluation for the veteran's PTSD, finding that his symptoms are productive of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim regarding whether his discharge was under other than honorable conditions, which would bar him from VA benefits. The appeal is denied.