PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2007

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and remanded it for further development, including verification of stressors.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and depression, finding that the veteran's diagnoses were not based on corroborated non-combat in-service stressors.

The VA has maintained a rating of 50 percent for the veteran's PTSD, which is currently the maximum allowed under the applicable criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of credible supporting evidence that an in-service stressor occurred, and therefore concluded that there was no basis to grant the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is a result of in-service stressors, and service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD, effective from November 8, 2002. The veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination, retrieval of additional VA records, and compliance with VCAA requirements.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no verified stressor and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to the need for further development of evidence, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, but his claim for an increased rating remains pending. His TDIU claim also requires additional consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for PTSD, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to May 2, 2005 and found that the current 50 percent rating was appropriate from May 2, 2005.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant before a decision was made.

The veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and whether it is related to his combat service in Vietnam.

The veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the increased rating of PTSD and TDIU, but the Board finds that no such effective date is warranted based on the facts presented.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 50 percent evaluation, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by total occupational and social impairment, due to symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes and communication, persistent delusions, grossly inappropriate behavior, a persistent danger of hurting himself or others, and an intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living. The Board finds that the criteria for a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD have been met.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, finding that his symptoms do not warrant such a high evaluation.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since November 29, 2005. The symptoms have included social isolation, sleep difficulty, anger outbursts, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, startle response, and suicidal ideations.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The veteran's PTSD with depression and substance abuse was granted a disability evaluation of 70 percent, effective July 17, 1991, to March 30, 1993. The claim for TDIU prior to April 30, 1994, is dismissed as moot.