PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, and thus the claim is denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to appear at a scheduled Board hearing. The case will be handled by the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC).

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

The veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for additional development, including verifying the veteran's claimed stressors and providing a summary of those stressors to the U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC).

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the veteran's PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to May 13, 2003. The appeal for a higher rating is granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional development, including verification of stressors leading to PTSD and clarification on the relationship between his diabetes mellitus and diverticulitis.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD results in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks due to symptoms such as depression, anxiety, hypervigilance, panic attacks, sleep impairment, and memory loss. The Board finds that the severity of his PTSD has not increased over time and does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of PTSD or other acquired psychiatric disorders present during service, and the veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, recurrent major depressive disorder, and dysthymia, are related to her experiences during service. The appeal is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for submaxillary salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma and skin rash secondary to Agent Orange, as well as his PTSD and hypertension. The cancer of the larynx claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that the service-connected PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to the cause of death, and therefore, does not meet the criteria for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disability, including PTSD, finding that he did not engage in combat with the enemy and does not have PTSD as a result of a corroborated service stressor or other psychiatric disorder related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is related to in-service stressors and grants service connection for PTSD. The claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD remains pending.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, hypertension, prostate disorder, colon polyps, nodule of the right lung, diverticulitis, hernia, papilloma lesion of the right temple, and bilateral conjunctivitis, were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest possible disability rating of 100 percent, and her bilateral pes planus remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining evidence to corroborate the veteran's claimed stressors in service and scheduling a comprehensive psychiatric examination. The claim for PTSD will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence obtained, and the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the depression claim will also be addressed.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to new evidence, but further development is needed before a final decision can be made.