PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for PTSD and tinnitus due to potential issues with confirming in-service stressors and obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions. The veteran is required to provide additional evidence or information, including a request from JSRRC for verification of alleged stressors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected based on a diagnosis of PTSD, credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor, and medical opinions linking current symptoms to the claimed stressor.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that his disability is manifested by suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals that interfere with sleep, difficulties forming words and sentences, impaired impulse control, and inability to establish effective relationships. The evidence supports this finding.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him housebound or in need of regular aid and attendance, as his other conditions were not service-connected. The Board denied the claim for accrued benefits based on a pending claim for special monthly compensation.

The veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling. The Board has found that the evidence presented more nearly approximates a disability picture of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting an initial 50 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice and for obtaining VA pharmacy records. The primary issue is service connection for the cause of death, which may be related to a psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gynecomastia, PTSD, a skin rash, fatigue, and a lung disorder. The evidence did not support these claims as the veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's blood clot and IBS disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The veteran's PTSD was also denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD. The veteran's in-service stressors are corroborated, and his diagnosis of PTSD is reasonably related to these verified stressors.

The VA determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a rating of 50 percent, effective from June 1994.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to exposure during his deployment in Operation Desert Storm, and all reasonable doubt is resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board found that the veteran's prostate cancer did not warrant an initial evaluation in excess of 40 percent from August 24, 2003 to November 29, 2006. The veteran was rated at 40 percent for this period.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying in-service stressors and determining whether the veteran's PTSD is service-connected. The hypertension claim will be adjudicated after these requirements are met.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as his symptoms do not warrant a rating of 70 percent under the applicable diagnostic code.

The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of PTSD and an opinion on whether the veteran's bilateral knee disability is related to military service. The veteran will also receive corrective notice under the VCAA.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, a skin rash including a nail fungus infection (claimed as due to Agent Orange exposure), and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hypertension, tinnitus, and diabetic retinopathy. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD, and there was no indication that the veteran engaged in combat with an enemy during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA medical records from the Rocky Hill Veterans Facility/Newington VA Medical Center. The veteran's PTSD claim is still under review.

The veteran's PTSD was primarily manifested by flat affect, sleep disturbances, anxiety attacks, occasional suicidal ideation, isolating behavior, anger, and hatred of authority. The Board found that the disability picture more nearly approximated the criteria for a 50 percent evaluation prior to December 16, 2005.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for post-traumatic stress disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.