PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by near-continuous depression, frequent panic attacks, irritability, and isolative behavior, producing occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in judgment, thinking, mood, family relations, and potential for work. The Board concludes that the Veteran's PTSD meets the criteria for a 70 percent disability rating.

The Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, and the reduction in rating from 100 percent to 30 percent for residuals of hepatic cirrhosis, status post liver transplant, was improper.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent disabling as of July 16, 2008, and 50 percent from May 22, 2003.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the shrapnel fragment wound of the right thigh and a separate 10 percent rating for an entry wound scar, but denied a total schedular rating for the noncorrectable traumatic cataract of the right eye.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicides and no link between the condition and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD as there was no corroborated in-service stressor upon which a diagnosis of PTSD may be based.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and aortic regurgitation as the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of PTSD or a link between the veteran's heart condition and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations or additional service-connected conditions.

The veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was granted an initial rating of 50 percent, effective June 9, 2005.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD is granted based on the evidence of a current diagnosis, a link established by medical evidence between current diagnosis and in-service stressors, and credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor occurred.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for service connection for pes planus of the right foot, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, left chronic knee disability, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine were remanded for further development.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to both claims, including obtaining additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by symptoms such as anxiety, depression, low affect, flashbacks, nightmares, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. The Board finds that the evidence supports an increased rating to 50 percent for the entire appellate period.

The Board denied the claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as those listed under a 50% rating.

The Veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is not shown to be more disabling than the 70 percent rating currently assigned.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to more closely approximate an occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as panic attacks, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. As a result, the Board grants an initial evaluation of 50 percent for PTSD.

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

The veteran's PTSD is productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood. The veteran was granted a 70 percent evaluation for his PTSD.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's hearing loss was found to be noncompensable, and the evidence did not support a rating greater than 50 percent for his PTSD.