PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressors occurred. The right ear hearing loss was found not to have undergone a permanent increase during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, headaches, tinnitus, a skin rash (presumably due to herbicide exposure), and a psychiatric disorder (presumably PTSD). The claim for residuals of a right ankle injury was also denied as new and material evidence had not been received since the previous denial.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).

The Board has determined that the veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder is incurred in service, based on her reported experiences at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba with Haitian refugees. The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) reversed the Board's finding that she failed to corroborate her claimed in-service stressors.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of the assigned ratings for PTSD and left hand disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues regarding service connection for PTSD, which is claimed as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has ordered additional development to verify the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and determine if they caused PTSD. The case will be returned for further review.

The Board found the veteran does not have a current medical diagnosis of PTSD, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is attributable to in-service sexual assaults and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for PTSD, finding that no new and material evidence had been received.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was denied because there is insufficient evidence to establish a verified in-service stressor, and thus no combat presumption could be applied. The veteran's claims were based on his alleged experiences during his service in Vietnam, but the available records did not corroborate these allegations.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, resolving doubt in favor of the veteran. The other issues on appeal are being remanded.

The Board determined that the veteran did not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss, PTSD, or cardiovascular disability for VA purposes. The claims were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. The appeal is currently in a pending state.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for service-connected PTSD effective August 15, 2007. The veteran's symptomatology was found to warrant this highest available rating.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not warrant a higher rating than the current 50 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant and his representative have withdrawn it.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA mental health treatment records and requesting an opinion regarding the impact of PTSD on his employability.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition. The Board denied higher ratings for his shell fragment wounds of the left arm, shoulder, and deltoid area.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is due to his inpatient medical treatment for hepatitis during military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.