PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2008

The Board has vacated its previous decision due to procedural issues and is now remanding the case for further development, including verification of stressors.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues on appeal, including the claims for increased ratings and service connection.

The case is being remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication, including providing adequate VCAA notice and scheduling a VA medical examination.

The veteran is granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD effective June 13, 2003. The appeal is denied prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for this condition.

The veteran seeks service connection for PTSD and polysubstance abuse as secondary to PTSD. The RO has not verified the in-service stressors related by the veteran, so further development is needed.

The Board found that the veteran did not provide sufficient information about his claimed in-service stressors to allow for verification. The VA examiner could not diagnose PTSD based on the provided information and existing records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, heart disease, PTSD, residuals of a scar above the left eye, and bilateral hearing loss are all denied as they do not meet the criteria for establishing service connection.

The Board found that the effective date for the award of a 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD should not be earlier than May 1, 2004 due to lack of factual ascertainability of an increase in disability prior to February 6, 2004.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is dismissed because it is a free-standing claim and not based on CUE in a final rating decision.

The veteran's hospitalizations were for treatment of non-service-connected conditions and did not meet the criteria for a temporary total disability rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.29.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The veteran's claim for a 100 percent disability evaluation for PTSD was granted effective July 18, 2003. The Board found that the essential fairness of the decision has not been affected and therefore the presumption of prejudicial error as to VCAA notice does not arise.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and updated VA treatment records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and its secondary effects, as there was no credible evidence to support the occurrence of the alleged personal assaults during service.

The veteran's PTSD has been manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent before January 12, 2007 and at 100 percent from that date. Bilateral hearing loss was not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to unverified stressors and a need for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's physical incapacity requires regular aid and attendance of another person to protect him from hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment, warranting special monthly pension.