PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining more specific information about the veteran's claimed stressors during service.

The veteran's claimed psychiatric, right leg, gastrointestinal, and back disorders are not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding service connection for PTSD and evaluating the veteran's left knee disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and to determine if he currently has a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 19, 2001 for the grant of a TDIU due to lack of evidence showing he filed a formal or informal application for this benefit before that date.

The Board denied a request for an increased disability rating for PTSD, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied on the merits, as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors. The RO's March 1998 decision denying the claim remains final.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is not productive of more than mild social and industrial impairment, nor is it productive of more than occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms. Therefore, the criteria for entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for PTSD have not been met.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of August 17, 1992, for a 100% rating for post-traumatic stress disorder. The effective date was set at January 4, 1993.

The veteran's PTSD is granted effective from December 1, 1994. He is also awarded a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD as of November 7, 1996 and an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of lupus erythematosus. The veteran's fibromyalgia and TDIU claims are pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's claimed stressors and a need for further examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 25, 2001, for his TDIU award due to lack of factual ascertainable evidence showing unemployment due to service-connected PTSD within one year prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left extremity disorder and PTSD, finding that new evidence did not reopen his claim for a left extremity disorder and concluding that there was no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor leading to PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran meets the criteria for service connection for PTSD, and thus grants this claim. The low and mid-back condition with osteoporosis issue remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for residuals of prostate cancer effective September 10, 2003. The veteran's PTSD remains at 70 percent since May 23, 2001. The earlier effective date for TDIU is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD did not warrant a reduction from a 50% to a 30% rating, as her symptoms had not improved and continued to cause significant impairment.

The veteran withdrew his appeal on several issues, including service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, emphysema, hypertension, and residuals of a right thigh injury. The case is dismissed as it relates to these issues.