PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2002

The veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no evidence of any disability in question being incurred or aggravated during his active military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for PTSD and found that new evidence supports reopening, but denied service connection due to lack of credible stressor reports.

The Board found that the veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during his service and his reported stressor event is related to this combat. The evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD, and there is a link between the diagnosed PTSD and the stressful event of combat with the enemy.

The Board has granted an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected PTSD and found that he is entitled to service connection for residuals of a cold injury to his feet. The veteran was not granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting PTSD was aggravated by service, and granted service connection for PTSD. The personality disorder is not a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is now shown to be manifested by a level of impairment that more nearly approximates the criteria for a 50 percent rating, warranting an increased disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating, reflecting significant impairment in most areas of his life.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The evidence does not show exceptional or unusual disability to warrant application of extra-schedular criteria. For TDIU, the evidence shows the veteran has been employed in various retail-related jobs for about two years.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at City Hospital from June 8, 1998 to June 11, 1998 was granted due to the nature of the emergency treatment he received and his permanent total disability status.

The veteran's PTSD causes total social and occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's anxiety disorder with post-traumatic stress disorder warrants a 50 percent disability rating, as it meets the criteria for such under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for the cause of his death due to coronary artery disease, as well as claims for PTSD and degenerative disc disease. The cause of death was not related to any service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, hypertension, and hearing loss. The claims were remanded by the Court to consider whether there was evidence of combat exposure and verified in-service stressors.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating, effective from October 10, 1993.

The VA granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 10 percent disability rating effective from February 14, 2000. The appellant's PTSD is manifested by symptoms such as depressed mood, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, and impaired concentration.

The veteran's malaria claim was denied as there has been no recurrence of active malaria. The PTSD claim resulted in a 50% rating, but the veteran is not entitled to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and left eye blindness are denied, as the stressors claimed do not meet legal requirements due to his dishonorable discharge. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ear hearing loss is also denied.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his PTSD was denied, and he is currently receiving a 50% rating for PTSD. His request for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also denied due to the presence of other service-connected disabilities.

The RO denied reopening the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.