PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but not to the extent required for a rating in excess of 50 percent.

The appeal is remanded for further development of the evidence, including verification of claimed in-service stressors and obtaining additional medical records.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for a personal hearing on all service connection issues and an additional Statement of the Case regarding hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was granted an initial rating of 30 percent, effective from the date of service connection.

The appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional evidence and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD to obtain Marine Corps Service Personnel Records and attempt verification of claimed stressors.

The Board finds that the Veteran's statements are credible and service connection for PTSD is warranted.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder due to a lack of credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressors and an absence of a confirmed diagnosis of chronic PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a total 100 percent evaluation due to symptoms including anger, hypervigilence, irritability, sleep impairment, nightmares, flashbacks, poor concentration, constant intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, emotional numbness and detachment, persistent suicidal ideations, a suicide attempt, homelessness, unemployment, a sense of a foreshortened future, the inability to establish and maintain effective work, school, or social relationships, and a clinical prognosis of total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and therefore he is not entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and depression, but denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, right knee chondromalacia, residual pain due to left knee cellulitis, back injury residuals, morbid obesity, kidney infections, and asthma. The Board also granted initial 10 percent disability ratings for a left knee disability and asthma.

The Board remands the case to attempt to corroborate the Veteran's claimed stressors during his service in Iraq.

The Board denied the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 as the Veteran was not in receipt of a 100% disability rating due to service-connected disabilities for at least five years immediately preceding his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, especially his PTSD, render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a disability related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by depressed mood, frequent intrusive thoughts, depression, insomnia, nervousness, fatigue, loss of energy, recurring thoughts of death and an exaggerated startle response, causing occupational and social impairment; the GAF scores ranged from 42 to 50.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that a higher initial rating was not warranted given the social and occupational impairment from his condition.

The Board granted service connection for an anxiety disorder but denied service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD, finding that May 26, 2004 was the correct effective date.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and adjudication of the veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).