PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD related to service and his heart disability is not linked to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have PTSD and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The veteran's PTSD with bipolar mood disorder has been rated at 70 percent disabling, effective April 14, 1999. The earlier effective date for the TDIU rating is granted.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and a higher rating for residuals of a right shoulder shell fragment wound (SFW) to allow for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board finds that the veteran's service in Vietnam, including his role as an Air Mobile/combat engineer unit grader operator, exposed him to combat stressors. The evidence supports a finding of service origin for his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for psychiatric disability, residuals of cholesterolemia, hearing loss, heart disease, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), corneal embolism, and hernia. The evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and military service.

The veteran's gastro-intestinal disorder was manifested during his period of active service and the Board has determined that he is entitled to service connection for this condition. The issues regarding PTSD and a skin disorder, to include as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange, are remanded.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD and PTSD due to sexual harassment have been reopened. Recurrent bipolar disorder was found to be incurred in active military service, while the claim for PTSD was denied as there is no credible evidence supporting the claimed stressor.

The Board dismissed the motion alleging clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a January 1985 decision denying service connection for PTSD for accrued benefits purposes. The moving party's argument was that the Board should have given greater weight to a finding of PTSD based on an earlier VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is related to his service in Vietnam and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from April 30, 2001 to May 30, 2002 and increased to 70 percent beginning May 31, 2002. The low back disability issue remains denied.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated 50 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability. The evidence does not support a higher evaluation or a finding of total disability due to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected, with all doubts resolved in his favor.

The Board has granted a 50% disability rating for the veteran's PTSD from July 1979 to September 1993, and has denied service connection for his left knee disability.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent evaluation.

The veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected condition. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death, granted accrued benefits based on an earlier effective date for PTSD, and denied DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 and burial benefits.

The veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was granted service connection. Sinusitis and a gastrointestinal disorder were denied as not related to military service. The low back disorder and headaches (muscle-contraction) were also denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD, was granted based on the presumption of exposure to combat.

The veteran's PTSD was granted a 30% rating effective from August 1999, and his duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia was denied an increased rating. The Board found that the PTSD warranted a 70% rating as of July 30, 2002.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, finding no evidence of a current disability and noting the lack of verified stressors in service.