PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD manifests with chronic sleep impairment and depressed mood, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating of 50 percent due to lack of specific symptoms such as flattened affect or difficulty in understanding complex commands. The veteran is therefore granted an initial evaluation of 30 percent for his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied all claims, including the veteran's requests for service connection for residuals of a head injury and PTSD, as well as his request to reopen his claim for back disability. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also denied.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's claimed in-service stressors for PTSD. The veteran must provide verification of his exposure to a specific event, and VA will attempt to verify this through appropriate sources.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), finding that the veteran did not have a significant psychiatric disorder during his time in service and that there is no evidence of PTSD caused by an event that occurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss or PTSD, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's PTSD resulted in considerable impairment, with symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and occasional suicidal ideation. The VA assigned a 50% rating for the period from December 8, 1999 to August 14, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and denied his claim for service connection.

The VA has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder, which is currently the highest available rating under the applicable diagnostic code.

The VA denied service connection for a heart disorder as it is not proximately due to or the result of the veteran's service-connected PTSD. The veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support ratings higher than noncompensable for hearing loss or 50 percent for PTSD.

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

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, headaches, a chronic back disorder, acne vulgaris (claimed as a residual of exposure to Agent Orange), scars (claimed as a residual of exposure to Agent Orange), asthma, and a 'gland problem' (claimed as a residual of exposure to Agent Orange). The RO denied service connection for these conditions in March 1982.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD, finding that his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, head injury residuals, and skin lesion excision were denied. The claim for chronic lymphoid leukemia was granted as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease with lumbar myositis, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeals for PTSD and depressive disorder were also denied.

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

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and to determine the current nature and etiology of his PTSD. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including examinations and the release of private treatment records.