PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, claimed as PTSD and dysthymia/depressive disorder, and for a neck disability and headaches. The claim for increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service, specifically witnessing a sniper attack on an identified fellow serviceman in Vietnam. As such, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD. The case is being remanded to obtain relevant medical records and to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and tinnitus have been granted, with service connection established based on the medical evidence linking current symptoms to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran failed to report for VA examinations related to his PTSD claim, and BCC was not shown to be related to active duty service. Service connection for a prostate disorder was also denied due to lack of evidence of current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability are being remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of his stressor event and obtaining VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD due to a verified stressor or any potentially verifiable stressor during his period of active service. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was denied multiple times. The Board has now remanded the case to obtain unit histories from his time in Vietnam and to determine if he meets the criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's schizophrenia with PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requests additional information from the U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC). The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD will be reviewed de novo after this additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and corroborating the Veteran's reported PTSD stressors.

The Board found that an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, was not incurred in or aggravated by the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and increased rating claims have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids, and there was no indication of service connection or exposure basis for the back condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD).

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent from March 8, 2001 through August 28, 2007 and upgraded to 50 percent effective August 29, 2007. The hearing loss claim was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since the effective date of March 9, 2005. The decision also addressed his TDIU and competency to handle VA funds matters.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD is denied as there was no informal or formal claim submitted between the September 1997 rating decision and March 8, 1999.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of credible evidence supporting his claimed stressors, and thus concluded that he was not entitled to service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting moderate impairment in occupational and social functioning.