PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board found that the medical evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case to determine whether a claim for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD had been presented. The veteran's claims are not yet fully developed and need further review.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss of the left ear, venous insufficiency of the left leg, stomach disability (irritable bowel syndrome and gastro-esophageal reflux disease), chronic fatigue syndrome, and a nervous condition (post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and a sleeping disorder).,The VA found no evidence to support service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient reasons and bases provided in the previous decision regarding service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is pending and remanded due to inadequate notice, lack of a basis for the diagnosis, and incomplete information regarding his claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sleep disorder and PTSD were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran filed a claim for service connection for PTSD on February 7, 1995 and is entitled to an effective date of February 7, 1995 for the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent disabling since February 25, 2003, due to significant impairment in work and social functioning.

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

The veteran's PTSD is currently manifested by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness (manifested by hypervigilence and an exaggerated startle response), and chronic sleep impairment. The VA has determined that the current level of disability does not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and did not engage in combat with the enemy, making it impossible to verify his claimed stressor. Therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a verified in-service stressor for PTSD, and there is no evidence of a depressive disorder during service or within the presumptive period. Therefore, service connection for both conditions cannot be established.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is related to his in-service experiences and grants service connection for this condition. The issue of whether positional vertigo is secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss remains under further review.

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that any service-connected disability caused or contributed to the veteran's death. The cause of death was congestive cardiomyopathy, which is not shown to be related to service.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 50 percent evaluation, effective February 2004.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, finding that his symptoms reflect no more than occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his postal service disability records and arranging for medical examinations to assess the nature and severity of his PTSD and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD is primarily manifested by symptoms such as disturbed sleep, intrusive thoughts, depression, anxiety, and irritability. The evidence did not show a material change in severity of the disability during the appeal period or any other significant changes warranting an increased rating.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD and has determined that the veteran is unemployable due to PTSD. The claims of reopening service connection for residuals of head injury and rheumatic fever have been denied as new and material evidence was not presented.

The veteran's fee-basis benefits for mental health services were terminated based on a medical judgment. The Board has remanded the case to ensure proper procedures are followed and necessary development is completed prior to readjudication by the Director of the San Francisco VA Medical Center.