PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's PTSD caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity since May 2, 2007. The RO granted a higher 50 percent rating for his PTSD effective as of that date.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for phobias, depression, and PTSD due to new evidence. The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to a claimed in-service sexual assault.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining the appellant's personnel records and developing his claim of service connection for PTSD. The VA will also schedule a new psychiatric examination to address the issues.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be service-connected due to an in-service stressor. The increased rating claim for headaches was denied as the Veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, chronic sleep impairment, and flattened affect. The Board finds that these symptoms do not warrant a disability rating in excess of 30 percent.

Throughout the rating period, the Veteran's PTSD was manifested by symptoms such as nightmares, panic attacks, sleep difficulties, anxiety, depression, anger/rage, some short-term memory problems, and exaggerated startle response. However, it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as the claimed stressors were not verified and there was no independent evidence to corroborate them.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 29, 2003 for PTSD was denied as the earliest possible effective date is fixed in accordance with the facts found and shall not be earlier than the date of receipt of the application therefor.,The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to October 7, 2004 for a CVA and arteriosclerotic heart disease were denied as these disabilities are considered one disability that was not ratable at 60 percent prior to October 7, 2004. The liberalizing law expanding the list of diseases available on a presumptive service connection basis for former POW's occurred on October 7, 2004.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 7, 2004 for TDIU was denied as entitlement arose after this date.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran is granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD effective December 22, 2004. Prior to this date, his symptoms had not reached the level warranting such a high rating.

The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to PTSD, as they do not include flattened affect, circumstantial or stereotyped speech, disturbances in motivation and mood, panic attacks, short term or long term memory loss, impaired judgment, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired abstract thinking, or difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and dependency allowance were denied, while his claim for an increased rating for PTSD was partially granted. The effective date of the PTSD disability rating remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD due to military service and there is no verified inservice stressor. Therefore, service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain a VA examination and proper notice, as well as for further development of his claim.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD and determined that new evidence supports a finding that he was exposed to combat in Vietnam, which is sufficient to establish service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a brain disorder, a systemic disorder, and neurosis were denied as there is no persuasive evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development, including a search of ship logs and verification of in-service stressors leading to PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA mental health records and asbestos exposure verification. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and bronchitis due to asbestos exposure will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a physical examination report and verifying claimed stressors. The issues of increased rating for renal insufficiency with hypertension and service connection for PTSD are also pending.