PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Board has found the evidence sufficient to establish the Veteran's entitlement to service connection for his claimed PTSD. The Veteran was granted service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 100 percent since January 5, 2004, the date of his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a rating in excess of 30 percent for hepatitis B were denied. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was denied as the earliest possible effective date provided by law has already been assigned.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 50 percent is not warranted based on his symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's reported stressor of being under a rocket attack at Camp Eagle in Vietnam is credible, and thus service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development, including obtaining morning reports and determining the geographical location of the Veteran's unit in Vietnam. The Veteran will also undergo a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he currently suffers from PTSD or any other related psychiatric disorder that is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not engage in combat and his claimed stressors are unsupported. Therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of a verified in-service stressor. The low back disability was also found to be unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD related to his service, specifically a stressor event involving being under mortar fire. Therefore, service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors and need for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is initially shown to have been productive of a disability picture that more closely approximates that of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity and an inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. The Board grants an initial rating of 50 percent for the service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from July 31, 2002, to February 7, 2007. After that date, the rating was increased to 70 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder related to his military service, including PTSD. The evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD and other diagnoses were considered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder with psychotic features are service-connected based on evidence showing they were incurred during active military service.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for right knee disability on the basis of aggravation, and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's pre-existing right knee condition was aggravated by service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder or memory loss, and thus denied service connection for these conditions on a direct basis.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's request to reopen her claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD. The case is REMANDED for proper VCAA notice and further development.

The Veteran's combined rating of 70 percent for service-connected disabilities does not meet the threshold criteria for a TDIU, as his PTSD and diabetes mellitus alone do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD and for a higher rating or TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran was not granted any of these claims.