PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

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

The Veteran's PTSD is associated with her military service and the Board has granted service connection for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and PTSD. The Veteran's back disability was not found to be related to his military service, including an in-service injury falling down a ladder. His PTSD was also not established as it could not be corroborated due to lack of credible evidence supporting the occurrence of the alleged stressors.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include schizophrenia and PTSD. The Veteran was diagnosed with both PTSD and schizophrenia that are linked to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of objective evidence verifying the occurrence of any claimed in-service stressor. The Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and there is no other objective evidence corroborating his reported experiences.

The Board has granted an increased rating for PTSD to 70% and has determined the effective date of service connection for PTSD is July 3, 1997.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board has granted a higher rating of 50 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are mild in nature with no significant occupational or social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest available rating of 50 percent, effective June 29, 2005. The right forearm fragment wound residuals are currently rated as noncompensable (0%). Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been found to be noncompensably disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records, including SSA disability benefits records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD warrants a 100% disability rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with dysthymia is currently rated at 30 percent for the period prior to October 11, 2006 and increased to 50 percent effective October 11, 2006.

The Veteran's PTSD and right ankle scar are both rated at their maximum allowable levels. The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a neck disability, left ankle disability, hearing loss, or tinnitus due to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for further examination and clarification of diagnoses.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by intrusive thoughts and memories, nightmares, anxiety and depression, suicidal ideation, isolation, extreme difficulty in maintaining employment and family relationships, sleep disturbances, and short term memory impairment. The criteria for an increased disability rating of 50 percent have been met.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 10 percent prior to January 29, 2008 and increased to 70 percent from April 1, 2008. The initial rating remains in effect.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, benign prostatic hypertrophy, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, PTSD, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of evidence associating these conditions with his active service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD is related to his military service in Vietnam and grants service connection for this condition.

The evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD, and the Veteran's symptoms are better explained by other diagnoses.