PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have a verified in-service stressor upon which a diagnosis of PTSD can be based, and therefore service connection for PTSD is denied.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder. The case is remanded to determine if the claimed stressors are verified and to obtain an opinion on whether any current psychiatric disorders relate to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and PTSD, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions and insufficient evidence to establish their onset during active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Board hearing at the RO.

The VA has granted an initial rating of 50% for the veteran's PTSD, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The VA has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating than 50 percent, as his symptoms do not warrant such an increase.

The veteran's appeal was granted, with the right ear hearing loss being found to be related to noise exposure during service and service connection established. The PTSD rating remains unchanged, as does the left ear hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that a more contemporaneous examination is needed to properly evaluate the veteran's PTSD, as his condition may have worsened since the last VA examination in June 2005.

The veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his symptoms do not warrant a 100% evaluation due to total occupational and social impairment, but he currently meets the criteria for a 70% rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD, a lumbar spine disability, or a cervical spine disability incurred in service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, sinusitis, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a higher initial rating of 70 percent, considering his symptoms and their impact on his occupational and social functioning.

The veteran's death was not service-connected, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were not met.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent prior to April 16, 2004 and 70 percent from that date forward. The Board found the evidence did not warrant a higher rating under either the old or new criteria.

The veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent from August 9, 1983 to October 31, 1996. It was later increased to 70 percent effective May 29, 1998.

The Board denied increased evaluations for PTSD and an earlier effective date for TDIU. The veteran's PTSD was characterized by depression, anxiety, isolation, poor concentration, difficulty with authority figures, sleep difficulties, insomnia, and recurrent dreams and nightmares.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination to assess the effect of PTSD on the veteran's social and industrial adaptability.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim. The Board also determined that the veteran engaged in combat during his military service, which supports a direct service connection for PTSD.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD is not service-connected due to a lack of credible evidence supporting his claimed in-service stressor.