PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 30 percent prior to May 15, 2007, and only met the criteria for a 50 percent rating from that date onward.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's PTSD was productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent rating for the period from December 19, 2002, to March 15, 2007.

The Board remands the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and verification of stressors, as well as an additional examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU due to insufficient evidence.

The Board grants service connection for PTSD, giving the benefit of the doubt to the veteran.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including providing notice regarding alternative evidence sources and assistance in submitting such evidence.

The veteran's PTSD is not manifested by total occupational and social impairment, or by deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal). The Board finds that a higher initial rating is not warranted due to the mild to moderate nature of the veteran's PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a lack of verified in-service stressors.

The Board finds that service connection for PTSD is warranted based on the veteran's in-service stressors and current diagnosis of PTSD.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed, and the issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a previous denied claim for service connection for a heart disorder, to include as secondary to GAD and entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for GAD are remanded.

The Board remands the case for a new VA examination to reassess the severity of the veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board remands the claim for further development to verify a claimed in-service stressor and obtain a VA examination.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, did not preclude him from engaging and retaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 3, 2003.

The veteran's claim for service connection for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Board found that the appropriate effective date for the 100 percent rating for PTSD is February 11, 2003, which is the date the veteran submitted his claim for an increased rating for PTSD.

The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder was rated at 30 percent prior to October 19, 2007, and 50 percent from that date. The seizure disorder did not warrant a higher rating in either period.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD did not meet the criteria for a 70 percent rating prior to July 12, 2006, and he was granted TDIU effective from that date.