PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and verification of stressor events, as well as a psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is not entitled to an increased rating in excess of 10 percent prior to November 7, 1996 and in excess of 30 percent beginning November 7, 1996.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD, including a TDIU rating, should be October 20, 2000.

The veteran's claim for PTSD is denied, but service connection is granted for a psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied, as the current rating is already at 50 percent.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent from March 3, 1998, to June 15, 1999. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating during this period.

The veteran's PTSD is productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas including work, family relationships, judgment and mood due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, impaired impulse control, difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships without total social and occupational impairment. The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD disability rating was initially granted at a 50 percent level, and later increased to 70 percent. The Board found that the evidence now supports an increase in rating to 100 percent effective December 30, 2001.

The Board granted a higher rating of 70 percent for the veteran's PTSD, effective from October 31, 2003. The issue regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is dismissed.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent disabling since June 5, 2003. The Board finds that the disability warrants no more than a 50 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD due to a combat stressor or a corroborated stressor and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and no verifiable combat stressors.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for PTSD due to lack of corroborated in-service stressors, despite new evidence supporting a diagnosis of PTSD.

The veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as the evidence supports a finding that it is at least as likely as not that he suffers from PTSD related to a verified in-service stressor.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's PTSD, effective from the date of claim.

The Board is remanding the case to allow the veteran to resubmit a damaged DVD that may contain evidence of his claimed stressors, and for further development.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his PTSD claim, as well as consideration of whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen his skin disorder claim.

The VA denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor and that he did not engage in combat with the enemy.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for PTSD has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 50 percent for the service-connected PTSD, effective from July 20, 2001. The veteran's PTSD is productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.