PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's initial rating for PTSD was increased from 50 percent to 70 percent effective October 22, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records prior to December 2005 and attempting to verify stressors related to his service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a variously diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran had anxiety symptoms during his tour in Vietnam which persisted post-service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD has been denied as there is no evidence showing total occupational and social impairment due to PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent, and his lumbosacral spine disability was also rated at 20 percent. The Board is remanding the case to schedule a VA examination for the lumbosacral spine.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for malignant skin neoplasm. The issue of an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD remains on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective from November 13, 2007. The appeal for a higher initial rating or TDIU has been denied.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD, effectively resolving the issue of entitlement to TDIU as it is no longer applicable due to the high disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, affective disorder, and depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records from the Vet Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Veteran's PTSD is manifested by daily nightmares, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, startle reaction, irritability, distraction, and some short term memory loss related to traumatic combat events. The Veteran displays depressed mood, difficulty establishing relationships with other than his family, and loss of interest in familiar activities. There is no evidence of hallucinations, delusions, panic attacks, suicidal ideations, or communication or thought process deficits. There is no evidence of any ongoing psychiatric care.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and non-VA treatment records, investigating service personnel records, and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any heart condition and PTSD. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating have been denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, chest pain (also claimed as costochondritis), and tension headaches associated with seizure disorder.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with depression is found to be the result of disease or injury incurred during his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD because there was no credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressors and the Veteran did not engage in combat or serve as a 'Machine Gunner' during his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD has caused deficiencies in most of the areas of family relations, judgment, thinking and mood without total occupational and social impairment. The criteria for a 70 percent evaluation have been met from August 4, 2005.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right and left knee disabilities, COPD, adenomyosis, pes planus, neck disability, and psychiatric disorder (PTSD), were denied as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is service-connected based on a verified in-service stressor. The low back disability is not service-connected, as it is more likely related to natural degenerative changes rather than his service-connected shoulder and elbow conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied as he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Board found that the Veteran did not engage in combat and thus could not establish service connection for PTSD based on a verified in-service stressor. The claim was denied as there is no credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressors.