PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete information and evidence, including a need for additional examinations and opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is due to disease or injury incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been withdrawn. The Board is addressing the issues of entitlement to service connection for a cognitive disability with memory loss and neurological problems (to include as secondary to service-connected generalized anxiety disorder) and entitlement to a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and tinnitus have been reopened, but the Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to determine if his unemployability during the course of this appeal was due to service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD and chronic dislocation of the left shoulder.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD are all granted as service-connected. The Veteran was exposed to noise in Vietnam but no specific exposure basis is provided. No presumption of service connection due to the PACT Act or Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune is applicable. There is no rating assigned at this time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder was granted.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since February 12, 2001, due to significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective November 5, 2003. The TDIU claim was denied as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current back disability, bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disability including PTSD, or sleep problems to service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or schizophrenia related to his military service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for both conditions are denied.

The Board denied service connection for the appellant's claimed psychiatric disorders, finding that his pre-existing anxiety disorder did not increase in severity during active duty and that he did not develop a psychosis. The Board also found that there was no evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for reopening the low back disability claim and for an increased rating for PTSD.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased evaluations of service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder and left ankle strain.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits documents. The case will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and TDIU was denied, with the effective date of the award of a 70 percent rating for PTSD and TDIU set at February 20, 2001.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations for PTSD and left ankle sprain was denied. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, while his left ankle sprain is rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and there is no evidence linking any diagnosed condition to service. The claims for scars and bilateral hearing loss were also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not warrant a disability rating in excess of 30 percent prior to June 30, 2004. His symptoms were consistent with a 50% disability rating under the criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities alone render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.