PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is a result of his military service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, which is a combination of bipolar disorder and PTSD secondary to childhood physical/sexual abuse. The pre-existing PTSD was found to have been aggravated by service.

The veteran's PTSD has been granted a 100 percent evaluation, resolving the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 10 percent prior to February 25, 1998 and increased to 50 percent effective February 1998. The appeal is granted for the initial rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the veteran's claimed stressors and a need for further examination to confirm or refute PTSD diagnosis.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are found to be disabling enough for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine the current severity of his PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to combat experience in Vietnam.

The veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, skull fragment injury residuals, right shoulder fragment injury residuals, right forearm fragment injury residuals, right wrist fragment injury residuals, and dizziness and headaches due to a grenade explosion are denied as the injuries were sustained due to his own willful misconduct.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events.

The veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was granted effective March 12, 2001. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date is March 12, 2001, as the claim was filed on that date and there is no evidence of entitlement prior to this date.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence, and further development including a medical examination is required.

The Board has determined that the veteran's disability from post-traumatic stress disorder more nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms of PTSD such as impairment of short-term memory, impaired judgment, and disturbances of mood. As a result, an initial rating of 50 percent is granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure all relevant evidence has been obtained and considered.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent from May 3, 1999 to August 13, 2000 and at 70 percent from August 14, 2000 to June 20, 2001, and from August 1, 2001. The veteran's PTSD has not met the criteria for a higher rating during these periods.

The veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of fractured nose, status post septoplasty, turbinectomy, and frontal sinusitis was denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the old rating criteria.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at a 30 percent level, which is higher than the initial 10 percent rating granted in August 2000. The VA compensation examination conducted in June 2000 indicated that his PTSD and associated symptoms cause considerable occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for further investigation of in-service stressors. The veteran's claim will be reconsidered after additional development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and determine if he meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.