PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, or anxiety, and diabetes mellitus with secondary conditions was dismissed due to the veteran withdrawing his appeal of the issue of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional examination.

The RO denied the veteran's claims of service connection for skin disability and PTSD, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issues of entitlement to an effective date earlier than April 11, 2005, for the grant of service connection for PTSD and entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat and therefore his statements alone are insufficient to establish the occurrence of the claimed stressors. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection for PTSD.

The veteran seeks service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder. The case is remanded to the RO for further development, including verifying stressors and obtaining a VA psychiatric examination.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD warranted a disability rating of 50 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, finding that there was no new evidence received within one year prior to the July 2003 rating decision.

The veteran withdrew his appeal, resulting in the dismissal of this case.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of PTSD was granted, and he is now receiving a 100% evaluation. The issue regarding the earlier effective date for TDIU remains pending.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD related to his service, as there is no verified in-service stressor and the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective April 27, 2004. The appeal for a higher initial rating remains pending.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete service records and the need for further medical examinations.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Board denied the veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD due to lack of a verified stressor from his service, and thus did not establish service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran did observe a suicide during service, which is considered a verified in-service stressor. The VA examiner found that the veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that his PTSD is causally linked to this verified in-service stressor.

The Board found no evidence of a swallowing problem in service and denied the claim for service connection. For PTSD, the Board noted that while there were symptoms consistent with PTSD, they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD effective from August 30, 2001. The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied as he did not timely file a notice of disagreement with the initial grant of service connection in August 2001.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat and there is no credible supporting evidence for his claimed in-service stressors. Therefore, PTSD was not incurred or aggravated by active duty.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of TDIU is dismissed as there was no valid claim filed within one year of the January 1997 rating decision.