PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2005

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, tinea pedis (skin rash and peeling skin of both hands and feet), deviated septum, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and insomnia. The veteran's service records show that he experienced stressors related to his service in Southwest Asia, including exposure to enemy combat situations and witnessing the deaths of fellow soldiers.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain all relevant medical records and Social Security Administration records, and then readjudicate the veteran's claims. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a rating of 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular evaluation available for this condition.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied, as the evidence did not show that his PTSD warranted such an increase.

For the period from September 24, 2001, through December 12, 2002, the veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The Board has granted the veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, as new and material evidence has been presented.

The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date of May 5, 1999 for the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher initial rating beyond 50 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in a previous decision denying service connection for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence provided by the veteran, including details about in-service stressors. The case is now remanded for further development regarding verification of these stressors.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent for his service-connected PTSD, finding that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation based on current criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and denied his claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and granted a rating of 10 percent for instability of the left knee, but denied increased ratings for his bilateral knee and ankle disabilities. The TDIU issue is referred to the RO.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and an increased evaluation for PTSD. The VA found no medical relationship between the veteran's hypertension and his service-connected diabetes, nor did it find that hypertension was proximately due to his service-connected diabetes. For PTSD, the Board granted a 50 percent disability rating but noted that all reasonable doubt had been resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence of current hearing loss meeting VA criteria for a disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, nor did the veteran have tinnitus etiologically related to his service.

The appellant withdrew his appeals for the initial disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, with alcohol abuse, from April 8, 2003 to November 2, 2003, and for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, with alcohol abuse, on and after November 3, 2003.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims of personality disorder and PTSD, but service connection was granted for dysthymic disorder, hypertension, and low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that his October 1991 application and December 1991 statement did not constitute a valid notice of disagreement with the RO's decision denying PTSD in December 1990. The RO had already assigned an effective date of February 27, 1992 for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for deep vein thrombosis resulting from VA treatment in connection with surgery on March 19, 1998 is granted.

The veteran's unauthorized medical treatment at a private facility was not deemed eligible for reimbursement due to the lack of an emergency condition and the availability of VA facilities.