PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including rheumatic fever with heart murmur, ear disability, a left knee disorder, back disorder, shortened right leg, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and lower extremity neuropathy. The decision found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and there is no medical evidence or opinion suggesting a nexus between any diagnosed psychiatric disability (other than PTSD) and service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD cannot be established.

The Board found no persuasive medical evidence showing the veteran has PTSD as a result of an in-service stressor, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a rating of 50 percent, effective from the date service connection was granted.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a diagnosis of PTSD and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat and his claimed stressors were not corroborated. As a result, service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hepatitis C, residuals of rheumatic fever, depression, PTSD, or chronic alcoholism that are related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory disability, neurofibromatosis, and PTSD due to a lack of supporting evidence regarding the claimed stressors associated with PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD. The initial non-compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was maintained, while a 10 percent disability rating for PTSD from May 13, 2002 to September 26, 2007, and an increased rating of 50 percent or more for PTSD from September 27, 2007 were denied.

The Board has determined that the issues are more accurately characterized as claims for service connection for a back injury, 'depression (previously claimed as dysthymia)', PTSD, and a right knee/leg injury. The case is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the March 2003 rating decision denying service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. The claim was reopened based on new evidence, but the effective date of service connection remains April 29, 2004.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 13, 1991 for the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Board has ordered a remand to clarify the relationship between the veteran's hypertension and his service-connected PTSD and/or diabetes mellitus, type II. The examiner will determine if the veteran's hypertension is caused by or aggravated by these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding no current diagnosis of this condition and noting that there is insufficient evidence to link his claimed stressors in service to his current symptoms. The Board also found that his alcoholism cannot be secondary to his PTSD.

The Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis and thus denied his claim of service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and thus grants a TDIU.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his PTSD, finding that the symptoms are primarily due to nonservice-connected dementia and not related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy or serve as a POW, and thus his claims for PTSD based on service stressors are denied.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent prior to May 8, 2006, and the Board found this rating appropriate based on his symptoms of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, or mood.