PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal is to determine if an earlier effective date than October 29, 2004 for the grant of service connection for PTSD should be granted. The RO has already granted service connection and assigned a rating effective October 29, 2004.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and depression was denied as there is insufficient evidence to corroborate the claimed in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and depression are service-connected due to in-service stressors, including participation in burial details during his duty as an administrative specialist.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is at least as likely as not attributable to his military service, specifically his experiences riding in helicopters. As a result, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's PTSD, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a currently diagnosed disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board found no verified stressor to support PTSD, and service treatment records are silent for chest wound, high fever, or head injury residuals. Therefore, the claims were denied.

The Veteran's service in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine exposed him to combat with the enemy, and he has been diagnosed with PTSD. The Board finds that his assertions of seeing mutilated bodies and engaging with the enemy forces are conceded, and there is a competent medical opinion diagnosing PTSD as a result of this combat exposure.

The Board finds the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's mood disorder, with depressive features, is proximately due to, aggravated by, or the result of her service-connected skin disability. The Veteran has so many medical conditions other than her service-connected disabilities that could have direct and indirect effects on emotional status, making it not possible to apportion all or part of her depressive symptoms to one or two medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his notice of disagreement (NOD) regarding the May 2004 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD was not timely filed.

The Veteran's widow is appealing a decision denying her request for a waiver of overpayment of pension benefits. The appeal involves missing documents and requires additional development before the claim can be fully adjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for a higher evaluation for tinnitus and service connection for PTSD were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for separate schedular ratings for bilateral tinnitus, as such disability is already at its maximum rating of 10 percent. For his psychiatric disorder claim, the Board noted that VA had not obtained all relevant mental health treatment records and that a VA examination was needed to determine if PTSD or other psychiatric disorders were linked to service.

The Veteran's PTSD primarily results in symptoms such as nightmares, difficulty sleeping, intrusive thoughts, constricted affect, feelings of anger, exaggerated startle response, depression, irritability, concentration and memory problems, and some impairment of relationships with others. This results in moderate social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because there is no credible evidence corroborating the alleged stressor in service, and thus the essential criterion for establishing service connection for PTSD was not met.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied as his combined evaluation does not meet the threshold requirements and he is not precluded from securing and following some form of substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and arranging for a psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested by total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, nightmares, flashbacks, anger outbursts, depression with psychotic features, and extreme difficulty in concentrating. The Board finds that the evidence supports a 100% schedular evaluation for PTSD throughout the appeal period.