PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and schizophrenia in July 1999, finding no credible evidence of the claimed inservice stressors or medical evidence linking the conditions to military service. The veteran's new claims were not considered material due to lack of new information.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD does not warrant a higher than 50 percent evaluation, as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 70 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of urethritis and denied service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is pending as it relates to the veteran's claimed in-service stressors.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD symptoms, while significant, do not warrant a higher disability rating.

The veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran's PTSD is service-connected.

The VA has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 50 percent disability rating, which is the current maximum evaluation available under the Rating Schedule.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for PTSD, but further development is needed to verify stressors and determine if a diagnosis of PTSD can be made. The case is REMANDED for these purposes.

The Board has ordered additional development to verify the veteran's claimed stressors and determine if he meets the criteria for PTSD. The case will be returned to the Board after this is completed.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage criteria for a TDIU because he has two or more service-connected disabilities with one disability rated at 40 percent or higher and a combined rating of 70 percent or higher. The Board also determined that the veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected PTSD and right wrist disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD related to his military service and denied his claims for service connection, temporary total disability rating based on hospitalization, and increased ratings for varicose veins and left knee arthritis.

The veteran's PTSD was granted a disability rating of 70 percent effective from June 20, 2001 to July 31, 2003. The issues of service connection for alcohol and substance abuse as secondary to PTSD, SMC based on one 100% rated disability and TDIU prior to August 1, 2003 were also granted.

The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is granted as a result of personal assaults experienced during service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of alleged stressors and scheduling a PTSD examination. The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD remains pending.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a higher evaluation of the veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that the disability warranted a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to October 7, 2002.

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

The Board found that the service medical records do not support a claim of PTSD due to an in-service sexual assault. The evidence does not show that the veteran's current PTSD is related to her military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date for service connection was July 13, 1993, for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since June 27, 1997. The rating was increased to 100 percent effective October 1, 1999.