PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to the absence of a current diagnosis and negative findings of PTSD. The request to reopen his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder was also denied as new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, depression, and a throat disorder due to asbestos exposure. The veteran was found not to have current diagnoses of depression or a throat disorder, and the VA did not find an association between his in-service experiences and these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no confirmed military stressor and that his current diagnosis of PTSD did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not timely file a Substantive Appeal regarding his claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, which was denied in June 2003. As such, the June 2003 rating decision is final.

The veteran's PTSD claim is in need of further development due to the lack of a definitive nexus between his current PTSD and his military service. A VA examination is required to determine if there is a link between his stressor incident during service and his current condition.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Hepatitis B as there was no credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressors, and the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy. For Hepatitis B, there is no competent evidence of active infection or residuals.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board hearing at the RO. The initial disability rating for PTSD remains in dispute and needs further review.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent disability evaluation, reflecting significant occupational impairment.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date determination due to incomplete information, including conflicting medical evidence regarding diabetes mellitus. The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is also being remanded as verification of his claimed in-service stressor needs to be made.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The claims of service connection and increased ratings are pending.

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

The veteran claims service connection for PTSD, which he contends is related to his military service in Vietnam. The VA has ordered a remand due to incomplete evidence and the need to verify stressors.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to verify the veteran's claimed stressors and determine if his current psychiatric condition, specifically PTSD, is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to verify in-service stressors and determine if service connection can be established for PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an increased rating for bilateral knee strain, finding no verified stressor to support his PTSD claim and noting that his current knee condition was not shown to have worsened since his last VA examination.

The April 1996 rating decision granted a 70% evaluation for PTSD effective March 27, 1996. The veteran did not file a notice of disagreement to initiate an appeal from this determination.,The July 1998 rating decision continued the 70% evaluation for PTSD and was not appealed. A claim for increased disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) was filed on July 22, 2003, which resulted in a 100% evaluation for PTSD effective June 1, 2003.

The veteran's PTSD caused mild impairment prior to January 5, 2007, and moderate impairment from that date onward. The Board granted a 30% rating for PTSD effective January 5, 2007.

The veteran's appeal is to determine if he should receive a higher initial rating for his service-connected PTSD, currently rated at 50 percent. The RO has requested additional medical records and will schedule the veteran for an examination.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to April 23, 2007 and increased to 70 percent from that date. The appeal is granted for the higher ratings.