PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's PTSD did not result in 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 short-term memory, impaired judgment, abstract thinking, disturbances of motivation and mood, or difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships from October 16, 1997, to May 12, 2000. Therefore, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD during this period.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and found that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran is now entitled to a full merits review of his claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has found that it warrants a higher rating to 70 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a stomach condition, and peripheral sensory neuropathy of both upper extremities due to lack of current evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and heart condition due to a lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for PTSD and a higher initial rating. The case is being remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further investigation is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and adjustment disorder, requires additional development due to unresolved issues regarding stressor verification and potential pre-existing conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, essential hypertension, and other disorders. The decision was based on a direct service connection theory without any evidence of secondary or aggravation connections.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of the record, including obtaining employment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the Board has granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to April 23, 2008 and 50 percent from that date. The claim for a higher rating for PTSD has been denied. Additionally, the Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, depressive disorder, and ED.

For the period from January 13, 2004, to March 10, 2009, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms were moderate, affecting his social and occupational functioning.,From March 11, 2009, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent as they continued to cause significant impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to the lack of verified stressors. The claim for service connection for DM is pending and will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran developed PTSD as a result of military sexual trauma and domestic violence during active military duty, and there is evidence of behavior changes in response to the stressors. Therefore, service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD in October 2002, finding no evidence of the condition. The Veteran's motion to revise this decision on grounds of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and right rib disability. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen his previously denied claims for these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on its current manifestations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD and lumbar spine disability. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings effective from the date service connection was granted.