PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have any chronic lumbar spine, right shoulder or left knee conditions, nor cysts of the lower abdominal wall, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a VA PTSD examination and reviewing all of the Veteran's mental health treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Board hearing and additional VCAA notice.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD service connection and did not find new and material evidence to reopen his claim of right leg injury service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent for the period from July 14, 2004 through September 20, 2005, and from November 1, 2005 through June 22, 2006. For the period from August 1, 2006, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD with depression is granted due to the positive medical opinion supporting a link between his diagnosed medical stressor and his diagnosed PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD should be remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the occurrence of in-service stressors. The case will be returned to the RO for further action, including verification of any claimed stressors and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates were denied. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to her active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD alone does not result in total occupational and social impairment, as evidenced by logical and tight thought processes, unimpaired communication skills, an ability to maintain minimal personal hygiene, orientation as to time and place, and grossly intact memory. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as February 7, 2007 is the earliest date on which entitlement arose due to submission of evidence showing combat involvement and verified stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, fibromyalgia, and chronic dermatitis. The claim of reopening a previously denied hypertension was also denied. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus, right foot neuropathy, left foot neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic retinopathy were not granted.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 5, 1999 for the grant of service connection and award of a 100 percent disability evaluation for PTSD is granted. The earliest effective date is February 24, 1995.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and currently rated at 30 percent, effective January 17, 2003. The Board found that the disability more nearly approximates a 30 percent evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service stressors leading to PTSD, and thus could not establish service connection.

The Veteran's request for additional training and computer assistance was denied as it is not necessary to improve his independence in daily living given the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for PTSD because the new evidence provided did not verify his claimed stressors and therefore, it does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as his diagnosis of PTSD is consistent with the circumstances of his service and he has provided credible supporting evidence of an occurrence of in-service stressors.

The Board denied a higher initial rating for PTSD prior to July 19, 2007 but granted a 70 percent disability rating effective from that date.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a rating of 70 percent. The Veteran's left ulnar neuropathy was not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred during service. His preexisting cervical spine disability was also not aggravated by service.