PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2002

The VA determined that the veteran's symptoms due to PTSD are no more than mild, and thus do not warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service and cannot be presumed to have been so incurred. The claim is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and denied service connection for degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the lumbar spine. Service connection was not established for hearing impairment.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since the effective date of service connection, which is considered a granted issue.,The veteran's scars have not been evaluated as compensable due to lack of evidence showing any functional impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD and a higher initial rating prior to February 1, 1996. The effective date for service connection was set at April 17, 1990, and the initial rating assigned is 70 percent.

The veteran's initial 30 percent evaluation for PTSD remains valid until April 30, 1999. From May 1, 1999 onwards, the effective date of his increased rating to 70 percent.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 50 percent, as his symptoms are controlled with medication and do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD does not meet the criteria for an annual clothing allowance as it does not require use of a prosthetic or orthopedic appliance that tends to wear out his clothing, nor does it involve a skin condition requiring prescribed medication that irreparably damages outer garments.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral strain and post-traumatic stress disorder with anxiety and depression was denied. His total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability is dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted a 70 percent disability evaluation for post-traumatic stress disorder and has assigned an effective date of April 29, 1997, for the total rating based on individual unemployability.

The VA has denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), currently rated at 30 percent, as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has found that the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder contributed to his death, and therefore grants service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, effective from May 29, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, as there were no combat-related experiences and none of the claimed stressful events had been corroborated.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 50 percent rating, reflecting significant impairment in occupational and social functioning.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of August 13, 1996 for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The criteria for assignment of an earlier effective date were not met.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, which was previously denied in June 1993. The evidence now includes a VA psychiatric evaluation, statements from the veteran's spouse, and medical records from the Georgia Department of Corrections.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by daily nightmares resulting in night sweats and insomnia, social isolation, anger, difficulty concentrating, depression, flashbacks, and memory loss. This has resulted in a Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score of 29, indicative of an inability to function in almost all areas, consistent with total occupational and social impairment. The criteria for a 100 percent rating for PTSD have been met.