PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD effective July 2, 1994. This decision resolves his appeal regarding an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent evaluation since November 1998, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the veteran's current symptoms are related to a personal assault he experienced during his military service.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 9411. The VA has determined that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining information about stressful incidents during service and scheduling a psychiatric examination.

The Board found that the veteran's seizure disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder were not incurred or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and sleep apnea, finding that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between her current symptoms and any in-service stressors or events.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent disability evaluation, meeting the criteria for such rating based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed in-service stressor was not related to combat and there was no credible supporting evidence for the occurrence of the event. Therefore, service connection for PTSD could not be established.

The veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent schedular rating.

The veteran's claim for an extension of his delimiting date for educational assistance benefits was remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and a rating decision.

The Board found that there was no credible evidence to corroborate the veteran's claim of in-service sexual assault, and thus denied service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for a back disability and to grant an earlier effective date for PTSD. The evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening the claim or establishing CUE.

The veteran's PTSD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the toes (claimed as stiff toes), degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, degenerative joint disease of the left foot with tarsal tunnel syndrome, and tarsal tunnel syndrome of the right lower extremity are all found to be related to his military service. Cold injuries of the left ear, other than cancer of the left ear, were also found to be related to his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence supporting a diagnosis of PTSD and noting that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy during his service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and a peripheral nerve disorder (CTS), all claimed as secondary to her service-connected polycystic ovarian syndrome.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at a 30 percent evaluation from July 11, 2005 onwards.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed post-traumatic stress disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service due to lack of credible verification of his reported stressors. The lumbar spine injury rating issue is remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected, with the diagnosis based on a non-combat in-service assault. The claim is granted as there is credible supporting evidence of the stressor.