PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for PTSD and whether his condition is related to verified in-service stressors. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's shrapnel scar of the right posterior calf is currently rated as noncompensable, and his PTSD is rated at 50 percent. The Board finds that neither condition warrants a higher rating.,PTSD symptoms include impairment in short-term memory, difficulty with motivation and mood, and impaired judgment.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that it does not warrant a higher evaluation based on the symptoms described.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that a 50 percent evaluation is warranted based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has not been shown to meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent since November 9, 2005.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 23, 2005 for the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, increased evaluations for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and compensable evaluation for cataracts were all denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is not incurred in or aggravated by active service due to lack of corroborating evidence for non-combat stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The decision also granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the submission of new documents by the Veteran, and further development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of total occupational and social impairment since September 30, 1998. The effective date for the grant of TDIU is set at September 30, 1998.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was insufficient credible supporting evidence to verify the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from Florida Hospital South and providing a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from working. The issues of service connection for neuropathy, neurogenic bladder, IBS secondary to migraine headaches, depression, and alcoholism secondary to PTSD are also inextricably intertwined with the TDIU issue.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to January 6, 1998, from January 6, 1998 to December 28, 1998, and from December 28, 1998 to November 2, 2001. The Veteran's residual scars have been granted a rating of 70 percent. Service connection for residuals of left chest lipoma has not been established.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and frostbite residuals of the lower extremities, do not render him unemployable due to their severity.

The Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, are not due to disease or injury incurred in service. The Board found no credible evidence of the claimed stressors and denied service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and thus, his statements about stressors are insufficient to establish service connection for PTSD. The claim was denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran was not unemployable due to her service-connected disabilities prior to October 23, 2002 and therefore denies an earlier effective date for TDIU.