PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder resulted in total occupational and social impairment as of November 13, 2004. Prior to that date, he experienced reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressors. Service connection was also denied for jungle rot and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to an effective date of July 21, 1992 for the receipt of a claim for an increased rating for depression. The issues remaining are whether a compensable rating is warranted for depression from July 21, 1992 through January 29, 2001; and entitlement to an effective date for the grant of service connection and a compensable rating for PTSD prior to January 30, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD and for a TDIU, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for depression, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board found that the evidence does not show credible supporting evidence of the veteran's in-service stressors, and thus denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the appellant's service connection claims, including whether he was exposed to a verified stressor event in Southwest Asia during his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding records and verification of stressors. The veteran is required to provide more detailed information about his claimed stressors, and VA will attempt to verify them.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, finding that the veteran's allegations of in-service personal assault were not supported by credible evidence and thus could not be considered. The claim was based on a secondary theory of service connection.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the absence of a GAF score and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information about the veteran's claimed stressors in Vietnam. The veteran is asked to provide more detailed descriptions of the events.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for PTSD and TDIU was granted effective May 24, 1999.,An earlier effective date of May 24, 1999 for the assignment of a 70% rating for service-connected PTSD is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The veteran's claim is related to new evidence that reopened her previously denied claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and procedural issues, including a need for SSA records and treatment records from VA facilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 50% disability rating, effective May 2, 2004.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for proper notification and additional development.

The veteran is seeking service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to a personal assault during service. The VA has requested investigation records from OSI, but the name was misspelled and further efforts are needed to obtain these records.

The Board has remanded the case to verify the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and determine if he meets the criteria for service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent prior to February 9, 2002 and at 50 percent from that date forward. The Board denied both requests for higher ratings.