PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2002

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus, Oklahoma, from June 15 to June 16, 1998 is denied as the care was not rendered due to a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and there was no verified stressor related to his claimed PTSD. Therefore, service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD should be February 27, 1987, as this is when the veteran's claim was first received.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on his symptoms.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, which was initially denied in September 1989. The case was remanded multiple times due to issues with verifying stressors during service. After further development, the Board determined that there were credible supporting evidence of one inservice stressor upon which to base the diagnosis of PTSD and granted the veteran's claim.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV criteria and did not establish service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 100 percent effective from October 25, 2001. The skin disorder was granted service connection and assigned a 50 percent rating.

The veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as bipolar disorder, is granted. The claims for PTSD and low back disorder are denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The VA has determined that the veteran's generalized anxiety and PTSD do not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent, based on their current manifestations.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD and did not engage in combat, thus denying service connection for PTSD.

The Board found that the June 1990 decision denying a higher rating for PTSD was erroneous due to the failure to consider evidence showing the veteran's unemployability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 17, 2000, for a grant of service connection for PTSD. The RO granted service connection for PTSD effective from February 17, 2000.

The VA granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30 percent rating effective from December 3, 1997. The veteran's PTSD is characterized by symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, avoidance, sleep difficulty, anxiety, and social impairment.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an increased evaluation for bipolar disorder. The objective medical evidence does not establish a diagnosis of PTSD that conforms to DSM-IV criteria.

The appellant's post-traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, and he has been granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disability.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from March 1, 1991 to July 2, 1992 and then increased to 100 percent effective July 3, 1992.

The Board granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD from January 19, 2002. The veteran's symptoms included flashbacks and nightmares occurring twice per week, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD, previously characterized as psychoneurosis, anxiety with mannerisms, warrants a 100 percent rating effective March 1, 2000, due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD. The veteran was diagnosed with PTSD, but his stressors have not been verified.

The veteran's appeal for increased evaluations of his service-connected PTSD, shrapnel wounds to the head and right thigh, and headaches has been denied. The evaluation for PTSD prior to November 7, 1996, remains at 30%, while the evaluation from that date onwards is granted at 30%. The evaluations for the shrapnel wounds are both granted at 10%, but the evaluation for headaches remains denied.