PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD warrants a 50 percent rating, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding no credible evidence to support the existence of his claimed stressors and thus denying the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is related to his service and granted his claim for service connection.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but not by total occupational and social impairment. The Board finds that a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding the veteran's in-service stressors and a need for further development of his service connection claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD as a result of his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 10 percent disability evaluation, which is the current assigned rating.

The evidence supports a finding that the veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by sleep difficulty, irritability, hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, passive suicidal ideation, startle response, flashbacks and intrusive recollections of combat-related events, psychogenic amnestic symptoms, and social problems resulting in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board finds that the schedular criteria for an initial 50 percent rating are met.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his PTSD service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, despite previous claims being denied for insufficient stressor confirmation and diagnosis.

The veteran's PTSD and psychiatric disorder were not incurred in or related to his military service.,Hypertension was not incurred in or related to the veteran's military service, but may be secondary to diabetes mellitus. The Board denied this claim as there is no evidence of encephalitis.,Heel spurs are not shown to have been caused by the veteran's military service and were not found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,Encephalitis was not diagnosed in service or at any point after service, and thus cannot be granted as a service connection claim.,Sleep apnea was not diagnosed during service or at any point after service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and his claim for a higher rating for residuals of a fracture of the left femur, with arthritis. The evidence showed moderate symptoms consistent with a 50% disability rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and service connection for tinnitus. The claim for low back disorder is pending.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II with diabetic neuropathy and impotence, and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of a creative organ are denied as there was no pending claim prior to January 8, 2003.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD, resulting in a denial.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of the veteran's PTSD, specifically whether it is related to a verified in-service stressor (the April 1977 motor vehicle accident).

The veteran's appeal involves three issues: the effective date for a higher evaluation of post-traumatic stress disorder, the award of TDIU with an earlier effective date, and whether he is competent to handle VA disbursed funds. These matters are being remanded due to scheduling issues.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD based on a verified service stressor, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service in Vietnam, including his duties as a truck driver and his reported witnessing of a friend being killed in action, supports a diagnosis of PTSD. As such, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The veteran's application for financial assistance in acquiring an automobile and adaptive equipment was denied as he does not meet the criteria for eligibility based on his service-connected conditions.