PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The veteran's PTSD symptoms have not warranted a higher evaluation, as they do not meet the criteria for an increased rating beyond 30 percent.

The veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent prior to September 26, 2007, and then increased to 50 percent on or after that date. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted (increased rating) while others remained unchanged.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted, and he is now receiving a 100% disability rating effective October 16, 2006. The other claims related to respiratory disorders, heart conditions, multiple arthralgias, and an undiagnosed illness characterized by fatigue, insomnia, and memory loss are still pending.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of corroborated in-service stressors and the veteran's failure to provide specific details about his alleged events.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent effective February 27, 2008. Her hysterectomy residuals were rated at 50 percent prior to that date.

The veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened, and he is granted compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional peripheral vascular disease of the left leg due to VA treatment on April 22, 2002. The claim for brain damage is denied.

The VA denied an increased disability rating for PTSD, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's skin disorder is not service-connected due to lack of evidence. The veteran's psychiatric disability, diagnosed as PTSD with depression, is service-connected based on the occurrence of stressors witnessed during his active duty at Ubon, Thailand.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to his alcoholism, which was a manifestation of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to the veteran's inability to attend a VA examination for PTSD. The examiner will determine if the veteran currently suffers from PTSD and whether the verified in-service stressor was sufficient to produce PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that this rating does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation due to the lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 20% disability rating for diabetes mellitus, effective March 18, 2005. The veteran's claim of increased rating for type II diabetes mellitus is remanded to the RO.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and there is no credible supporting evidence of a non-combat stressor. Therefore, service connection for PTSD cannot be granted.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD as a result of a verified in-service stressor, and thus service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records, which may contain relevant evidence for the veteran's PTSD claim.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and he argues that his condition has worsened since the last VA examination in August 2004. He claims he cannot sustain employment due to his PTSD symptoms.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied. The issue of reopening his kidney disorder claim on the merits remains open.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is causally linked to a stressor event he witnessed during his service in Saudi Arabia, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death from an acute myocardial infarction, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.