PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's PTSD and related depression have been primarily manifested by social isolation, avoidance, intrusive memories, flashbacks, hypervigilance, irritability, anxiety, near-continuous depression, panic attacks, insomnia, mild memory loss, suicidal ideation, difficulty in maintaining work and social relationships due to anger and irritability, and difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, resulting in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work and family relationships. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's PTSD and related depression.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was reopened and denied. The claims for service connection for diabetic nephropathy, heart disease, and hypertension were also denied.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional evidence and schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD was remanded for further development, including a psychiatric examination and nexus opinion.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, a left knee disability, and a residual disability due to a head injury as there was no current diagnosis of PTSD, no current diagnosis of a left knee disability, and the current cognitive disorder, migraine headaches, and seizure disorder were not related to service.

The veteran's bilateral pes planus was granted service connection, and his PTSD rating was increased to 50 percent. The CTS of the right wrist did not meet criteria for a higher initial rating.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD based on new and material evidence that the veteran's in-service stressor, witnessing dead Iraqi soldiers during his deployment to the Persian Gulf, is related to his current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 18, 2002, for the assignment of a 100 percent rating for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board grants service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include depression and PTSD, based on credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors including sexual harassment and a physical assault.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD as there was no credible evidence to support his claimed in-service stressor.

The veteran's need for regular aid and attendance is not due to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder as there was no credible supporting evidence of his claimed in-service stressors.

The veteran's PTSD is due to an in-service incident where he was hit by a sledge hammer, which has been corroborated and linked to his current condition.

The Board concluded that there is a preponderance of the evidence against the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from March 14, 2008, as the evidence showed occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, speech intermittently illogical, neglect of personal appearance, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and inability to establish effective relationships.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for left knee chondromalacia, service connection for PTSD and depression, and to reopen a claim for a left foot/toe disability were denied.

The Board denied service connection for glaucoma, bilateral eye disability other than glaucoma, PTSD, residuals of a broken neck with vocal cord injury, and residuals of head injury.

The Board denied service connection for bipolar disorder and granted the reopening of a claim for PTSD, but did not decide on the merits of the service connection aspect.

The appeal for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was withdrawn by the Veteran, and the claim is therefore dismissed. The Board also denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.