PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety disorder, panic attacks and agoraphobia to include PTSD because there was no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors. The veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and provided insufficient information regarding specific stressful events that occurred during his service.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board will reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD and remand it to the RO for further development. The other claims, including those for a left knee disorder, right eye disorder, HCV, and an increased rating for pilonidal cystectomy residuals, are denied as new and material evidence has not been submitted.

The Board has determined that the earliest possible effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD is December 1, 1989, which represents the day following the veteran's discharge from active duty.

The veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a fractured right ring finger, sinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been granted with respective 10% ratings. Other service connection claims remain unresolved.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from June 2, 2004 until September 2, 2005. Beginning September 2, 2005, the rating was increased to 100 percent.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and his diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent. Both conditions meet the criteria for their respective ratings.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine if the veteran's current PTSD is causally linked to a verified in-service stressor, and therefore remands the case for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% disability rating for PTSD, finding that the increase in disability did not precede his claim by more than a year and did not meet the criteria for a 100% rating until July 28, 2004.

The veteran's PTSD does not result in the required occupational and social impairment to warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated as 30 percent disabling for the periods from January 23, 2004 to September 6, 2006 and from November 1, 2006 to April 3, 2007. For the period since April 3, 2007, he is entitled to a rating of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, depression, and bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's claims were based on new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA treatment records from October 2000 to June 2001, which may substantiate the veteran's claim for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and SSA records related to the appellant's thyroid disorder, PTSD, and urinary condition. The RO should also attempt to obtain any private treatment records from sources identified by the appellant.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD warrants an initial evaluation of 50 percent, effective from the date of his claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 23, 1998 for a 100 percent rating for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating. The claim for TDIU is also denied as there are no service-connected disabilities that meet the schedular requirements.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, which was previously denied in July 2003. The reopened claim will now be reviewed on its merits.

The veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted due to his combat involvement and current diagnosis of PTSD.