PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be incurred in service, meeting the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied. The current disability rating is 70 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his acquired psychiatric disability, head injury residuals, neck fracture with neck pain, and back fracture with back pain. The Board found that these disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service due to the Veteran's own willful misconduct.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of records from MCAS El Toro Family Services, which may contain relevant counseling records for the Veteran's reported sexual assault in February 1996. The claim will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, characterized as adjustment disorder consistent with PTSD, has been rated at 30 percent prior to March 12, 2003 and at 50 percent beginning on that date. The claim for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and hypertension was denied as there is no evidence of such conditions being related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and requests for additional VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is pending.

The VA has determined that the appellant's PTSD warrants a 30 percent evaluation, reflecting occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have PTSD or major depressive disorder that was incurred in service and denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records, clarifying the Veteran's claims, and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's request for a video-conference hearing has been acknowledged, and the case is being remanded to provide this hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees have been reopened. However, new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a verified in-service stressor event, and thus could not establish service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss were also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during service and his PTSD is related to this combat. Therefore, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for schizophrenia with PTSD and TDIU, as well as his request for an effective date prior to October 24, 2005 for service connection of PTSD. The decision found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU based on his psychiatric disability, and denied his claim for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and the relationship between his heart disability and any medication he may be taking for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board finds no support for an evaluation in excess of this rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that an increased initial evaluation to 30 percent is warranted based on his symptoms of occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a low back disability, asthma and COPD, an enlarged prostate, impaired sensation in the left side and foot, and allergic rhinitis have all been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of PTSD or any other psychiatric condition during service or at any time thereafter. There is also insufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claimed stressors for PTSD. For the back disability, asthma and COPD, and enlarged prostate, the record does not show a diagnosis or treatment related to these conditions in service or within one year after discharge. The claim for allergic rhinitis was denied as there is no current diagnosis of this condition.