PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2005

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than August 14, 1998 for service connection of PTSD. The issue of a higher initial rating for arthritis of the cervical spine is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision and is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC).

The veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 50 percent from December 13, 2000 to February 27, 2002. From February 27, 2002 onwards, the rating was increased to 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the request to reopen the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the May 1997 denial is not new and material, thus denying the request to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent evaluation, effective from January 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of CUE in the January 1971 and April 1991 rating decisions, as well as his request for an effective date prior to January 25, 1993, for service connection for PTSD. The RO had previously denied these claims based on finality of earlier decisions.

The Board granted an effective date of December 6, 1994 for a total schedular evaluation for the service-connected psychiatric disability (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with associated Major Affective Disorder, Depressed).

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to in-service stressors. The tumor of the left breast was not service-connected as there is no evidence linking it to herbicide exposure or any other service-related factor.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating adequately reflects his current level of occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds and PTSD, finding no current evidence supporting these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD was granted, with the effective date set at April 4, 2002.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed without prejudice due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The VA has granted an initial evaluation of 30 percent for PTSD as of August 28, 2000, based on the veteran's symptoms and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the prior decisions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for right above the knee amputation, finding no evidence of a diagnosed condition or that VA care caused the injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD should be remanded to allow for further development, including verifying his reported stressors and scheduling a VA examination.

The veteran's claims for PTSD and hypertension were denied, while his right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted. The left lower extremity radiculopathy claim is pending with a current rating of 10%.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD as the claimed stressors were not verified and are not related to combat.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD and other service-connected conditions. The case will be returned to the Board for readjudication.

The Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection of PTSD due to lack of a valid diagnosis under DSM-IV and insufficient evidence of an in-service stressor.