PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors and PTSD. The claim will be further developed to attempt corroboration of these stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a shell fragment wound of the left lower extremity, PTSD, hypertension, and GERD was denied. The Board found no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left eye disability is pending.,Service connection for PTSD has been denied as the evidence does not establish that the claimed in-service stressors actually occurred and there is no link between current symptoms and any verified stressor events.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of November 27, 1999 for a 100 percent disability rating for service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was insufficient credible evidence to support the occurrence of his claimed in-service stressors and concluding that his current PTSD is less likely caused by those events.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, resulting in dismissal of the case.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection for all issues is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since January 30, 2006. The combined rating for service-connected disabilities was correctly calculated.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 100 percent since January 25, 1993. The claim for a TDIU due to service-connected disability is dismissed as the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for diabetes mellitus was not addressed in this decision.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for service-connected PTSD from November 14, 2003 through April 2, 2005.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and PTSD has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizoid personality disorder. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric condition related to military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to in-service stressors and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is manifested by sleep difficulties, nightmares, hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, exaggerated startle response, flashbacks, irritability, anger outbursts, anxiety, social isolation, a depressed mood, restricted or flat affect, and crying episodes. The evidence also showed that the Veteran had good grooming and hygiene, organized thoughts, no suicidal or homicidal ideation, no psychosis, logical and linear thought process, no auditory or visual hallucinations, no delusions, and intact insight and judgment.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating higher than 70 percent for service-connected PTSD, effective from February 16, 2001 to March 31, 2003, was granted by the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, shrapnel wounds, and lymphoma, are rated at a combined 60 percent. However, the VA compensation examiners concluded that his disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, including auditory hallucinations, delusions, and impaired concentration, do not warrant a higher initial rating as they are primarily characterized by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency.

The Board found that the Veteran did not engage in combat and his reported stressor was unsubstantiated. As a result, service connection for PTSD was denied.