PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2006

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of in-service stressors and a need for further examination. The veteran's PTSD claim is pending.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD has been reopened. However, the claim for PTSD based on in-service personal assault remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to May 27, 2003, for a 100 percent schedular disability evaluation for service-connected PTSD.

The veteran's claim for an increase in DIC benefits was denied because he did not meet the requirement of having been rated as totally disabled for a continuous period of at least eight years prior to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not competent to handle the disbursement of VA funds due to his mental incapacity.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete notification and missing medical records.

The veteran's PTSD with dysthymic disorder and social anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, effective May 4, 2000.

The veteran's claims for right and left knee disabilities, asthma, migraine headaches, dental disability, and PTSD have all been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or post-service. The veteran has also been denied entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding the veteran's claimed PTSD. The RO is required to provide proper VCAA notice and obtain verification of the alleged stressors from JSRRC.

The veteran argues that his PTSD prevented him from initiating an appeal/request for waiver of recovery of overpayment due to a hospitalization during the 180-day period. The case is being remanded to obtain missing VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the veteran's PTSD. The claim will be reviewed again after this additional development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service-connected schizo-affective disorder with PTSD and seizure disorder, finding that the issues were barred as a matter of law due to the finality of prior decisions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD due to new evidence, but denied the claim on the merits as there is no credible supporting evidence that the veteran's claimed in-service stressor occurred.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, finding that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has restored a 50 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected panic disorder with agoraphobia and PTSD, finding that his condition has improved to warrant this rating. The veteran is not entitled to an increased rating as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cause of death was not caused or contributed to by his service-connected PTSD, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals found that the veteran's claimed PTSD and ADHD were not incurred in or aggravated during active military service, and thus denied his claims.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and his claimed PTSD stressor remains uncorroborated, thus denying service connection for PTSD.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The veteran's increased rating claims for residuals of a right knee injury, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and appendectomy scar were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.