PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (exclusive of PTSD) due to lack of evidence showing a diagnosis other than PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD is service-connected, and he was granted a 10 percent initial rating for his bilateral hearing loss from July 31, 1998 to April 2, 2004. He was also granted a 40 percent rating for his right shoulder disability from October 18, 2001 onwards. The veteran's claim for higher ratings for his bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder disability is denied.

The veteran's permanent and total disability rating for PTSD was granted in August 1986, extending the appellant's eligibility for Chapter 35 educational assistance benefits.

The appellant's claim for an extension of the delimiting date for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code was denied because he was not between the ages of 18 and 26 at the time his dependents' eligibility period should have ended.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 100 percent schedular rating since July 12, 1996, due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted a 100 percent disability evaluation for post-traumatic stress disorder, finding total occupational and social impairment.

The case is remanded to the RO for scheduling a 'Travel Board' hearing at the San Antonio location of the Houston, Texas, Regional Office. The veteran's claims for PTSD service connection and reopening his neck disability claim are pending.

The veteran was granted a 100% rating for PTSD effective June 23, 1999. The effective date could not be earlier due to the nature of the claim and the evidence available.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and skin rash, finding that there was insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting a VA mental status examination to assess the severity of the veteran's PTSD with recurrent depression. The TDIU claim is also being developed.

The veteran requested an earlier effective date for his service connection for PTSD and Major Depression. The RO granted the claim with an effective date of March 8, 1999.

The Board found that the RO committed CUE in its August 1991 decision by assigning an effective date of February 1, 1991 for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The veteran was actually entitled to receive compensation for totally disabling PTSD for a continuous period of over 10 years immediately preceding his death.,The appellant's claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is granted, as at the time of the veteran's death, he was service-connected for PTSD rated as 100 percent disabling.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a nervous disorder has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection for PTSD was established, but not for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors and insufficient medical evidence linking current symptoms to a verified or verifiable in-service stressor.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was incurred in service and is granted.

The Board has granted an initial increased evaluation of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that the veteran's symptoms more closely approximate a level of impairment productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, and a skin disorder. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen his previously denied claim for a psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The case will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened due to new medical evidence. However, his service connection claim for increased rating of lumbar spine remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case to allow the veteran to provide more specific information regarding his alleged stressors and for further development, including verifying any confirmed or presumed credible stressors. The veteran must also be scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he has PTSD as a result of verified stressors.