PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent, as it is productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and adjustment disorder with depressed mood, as well as her claim for nonservice-connected pension, are being remanded for further development.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, an initial compensable evaluation for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and an initial compensable evaluation for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) were denied. The claims for increased evaluations for post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic migraine headaches, and degenerative arthritis of the right ankle are remanded.

The veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent during the relevant period.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for residuals of frostbite injury to his feet were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, to include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as the medical evidence did not show that the veteran currently has PTSD or that his current depressive symptoms are related to an in-service event.

The veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as there was no credible supporting evidence that his claimed in-service stressor occurred.

The veteran was granted an effective date of April 6, 2004 for the assignment of a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD.

The veteran's PTSD is primarily manifested by disturbances in sleep, mood, affect, and motivation, but absent significant impairment of speech, thought process, communication, orientation, memory, hygiene, work relations and family relations; his overall psychiatric disability results in no more than mild occupational and social impairment.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional evidence and provide the veteran with an opportunity to submit more information regarding his claimed in-service personal assault.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The veteran was also denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 10 percent rating for residuals of a fracture of the left distal radius and higher ratings for both the fracture and venereal herpes.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied, as the evidence did not show that he had a diagnosed mental disorder related to service prior to November 29, 2002.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD and type II diabetes mellitus to obtain additional evidence, including VA treatment records and potentially missing service records.

The Board denied an effective date prior to January 29, 2001, for the assignment of a 70 percent rating for post-traumatic stress disorder and for the grant of a total rating for compensation based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was remanded for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination and review of Social Security Administration records.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD was rated at 70 percent from August 17, 2004 to July 14, 2005, but no higher rating was warranted since July 15, 2005.

The Board denied service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder as there was no credible supporting evidence of any in-service stressor.

The veteran's PTSD has been manifested by no more than occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, to include impairment of memory, fair judgment and insight, sleep impairment, anxiety, some impaired impulse control, some difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships; a rating in excess of 50 percent is not warranted.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent for the period from April 25, 2008, as it meets the criteria for occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.