PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest possible schedular rating of 100 percent, reflecting total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD symptoms result in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent evaluation.

The VA has awarded service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30 percent rating effective from December 1, 2004. The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD causes significant impairment in occupational and social functioning, warranting a 70 percent rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining his military personnel file and Social Security Administration records. The issue of service connection for PTSD will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board has reopened the veteran's service connection claim for PTSD and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his military service in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus as they are not related to the veteran's active military service.,Service connection was not granted for a gait disorder as it is not shown to be proximately due to the veteran's service-connected varicose veins of the right lower extremity.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a review by a VA psychiatrist regarding whether the veteran's pre-existing PTSD was aggravated by service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an effective date of May 22, 2001. The Board found that the earlier diagnosis of PTSD in May 2001 established entitlement to this benefit.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and migraine headaches, with a compensable rating of 10 percent. Service connection for steatocystoma multiplex with multiple lesions is also granted. The veteran's conjunctivitis remains rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inconsistencies in the veteran's statements and medical opinions regarding his claimed PTSD. The issue is whether he had a pre-existing condition that was aggravated by service or if it developed during service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no verified in-service stressor and thus no basis to grant service connection.

The veteran's PTSD symptoms from February 27, 2003 to January 18, 2007 were characterized by occasional suicidal ideation and some difficulty in establishing social relationships. From January 18, 2007 to September 26, 2008, his symptoms included continued suicidal ideation requiring hospitalization multiple times, deficiencies in most areas such as family relations, judgment issues with alcohol abuse, anger problems, occasional impulsive speech and inappropriate behavior, near continuous depression affecting his ability to function appropriately, mild neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, and a GAF score range of 40 to 65 (and for alcohol dependence as low as 25).

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his anxiety disorder and tinnitus significantly affect his ability to work in a structured environment. The combined rating of 70% does not meet the threshold for TDIU.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings on PTSD, cervical spine arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, and left shoulder arthritis has been dismissed. The Board finds that the earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted from May 19, 1994.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD, right forearm disability, and substance abuse. The claims will be reconsidered in light of these new evaluations.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence, while the issue of residuals of a right hand fracture is not in appellate status.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, but including schizophrenia and for PTSD. The decision found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for schizophrenia, and that there was no medical evidence diagnosing PTSD.

The veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be due to exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. The Board finds that the evidence supports service connection for this condition. Service connection for PTSD has been granted based on a confirmed stressor and medical opinion linking the condition to service. However, service connection for chronic myelogenous leukemia was withdrawn by the veteran.

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