PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 30 percent disabling from May 16, 2005 to December 9, 2007 and as 50 percent disabling since December 10, 2007. The Board granted a higher rating of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone is currently shown to be productive of a severe level of disablement that would preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful employment, when considering his work and education background. Therefore, the Board finds that a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability is warranted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as the evidence did not show that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to March 19, 2003.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to be the primary cause of his current cardiovascular condition, warranting service connection for this secondary disability.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The disability picture does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not demonstrate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood.

The Veteran's PTSD is not manifested by total occupational impairment, or by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD has been denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD. The Veteran does not have PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim. For PTSD, the Board granted service connection but noted that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional VA examination and consideration of his hospitalization records. The issue remains whether he should receive a higher rating for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claims of service connection for schizophrenia and PTSD, finding that new evidence received since the last final denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the underlying claim.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is currently rated at 30 percent, effective January 12, 2006. The symptoms described do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for arthritic changes of the lumbar spine and PTSD were denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and the Board has granted a 100 percent rating based on total occupational and social impairment.

The Board found that the evidence does not show a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder based on an independently verifiable inservice stressor, and therefore denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board has ordered the VA to verify specific stressors claimed by the Veteran and to obtain his medical records from a VA facility. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is required to address the merits of the Veteran's claims for PTSD and dental disorder, including as secondary to service-connected diabetes. The case is REMANDED for further action.

The Board found that the Veteran has reasonably discharged his responsibility for paying child support to the appellant, and thus a general apportionment of the Veteran's disability compensation benefits on behalf of the Veteran's minor children is not warranted. A special apportionment was also denied due to lack of updated financial information from both parties.

The Board found no evidence linking gastroesophageal reflux to service and denied the claim. The case was also remanded for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to in-service stressors.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical disability, finding that the Veteran's credible report of an in-service injury is consistent with his current diagnosis. The claim for posttraumatic stress disorder was denied as there is no evidence of such a condition.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.