PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD is causally related to his reported military stressors and granted service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 31, 1994 for the assignment of a 100 percent rating for PTSD is denied as there is no legal basis to support such a request.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete service personnel records, and the veteran's claim of PTSD will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to the need for a VA examination and issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, panic disorder, and major depression, is related to active service due to military sexual trauma and childhood sexual abuse. The appeal is granted.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for service-connected PTSD, effective as of the date of the decision. The veteran's symptoms include irritability, anger, anxiety, hypervigilance, sleep impairment, nightmares, flashbacks, some short-term memory impairment, intrusive thoughts, impaired judgment, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation, which result in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD as a result of active service due to lack of verified stressors, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for various orthopedic and psychiatric conditions were denied as the evidence did not establish that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board found that the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as major depressive disorder, did not have its onset during active military service or within one year thereafter and has not been linked to service by competent medical evidence. The Board also found that PTSD did not have its onset during active military service and the record does not reflect a diagnosis of PTSD based upon verified in-service stressors.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found that the appellant's gastrointestinal disorder is secondary to her service-connected PTSD. The case is remanded for further examination.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as there is credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor which has been medically linked to a current diagnosis.

The veteran's claims for PTSD and a higher rating for prostatitis were denied as there was no evidence of an in-service stressor for PTSD, and the service connection theory was based on direct evidence rather than presumptive or secondary factors.

The veteran's hearing acuity is rated at Level II in the right ear and Level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The veteran's service-connected GERD with esophagitis does not meet the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation due to less severe symptoms such as pain, vomiting, material weight loss, hematemesis or melena, and moderate anemia.

The veteran's service connection for allergic rhinitis, claimed as sinusitis, was denied.,PTSD was granted with a 30% rating from June 30, 2003 through March 2, 2004 and a 10% rating from March 3, 2004 to October 29, 2006. The effective date for service connection was not granted.,Tinnitus was denied as an initial compensable rating.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that it caused moderate to severe impairment in the veteran's ability to function socially and occupationally due to symptoms such as fear of flying, heights, and driving over high bridges. The examiner noted no evidence of hypervigilance or suicidal/homicidal ideations.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of his service-connected PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants an initial rating of 30 percent, reflecting moderate occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back condition was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The PTSD claim is being remanded for further development.

The Board found no verified stressor events related to service, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD.