PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Veteran died of bilateral pneumonia, which the VA determined was not related to any service-connected disability. The Board found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if a service-connected condition contributed to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD as there was no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor and the diagnosis of PTSD lacked probative value.

The Veteran's appeal is for an initial staged rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD prior to April 1, 1999 and for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Board has granted a 100% rating from July 22, 1999 through January 3, 2002, and a 100% rating from January 4, 2002. An earlier effective date of September 15, 1993 has also been granted for the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the appellant's previously denied service connection claims for residuals of a stroke, poor circulation, blindness of the left eye, heart disability to include angina, and lung disorder. The right leg and ankle disorder claim is also reopened. Service connection was granted for PTSD with a 50% disability rating effective August 25, 2003. However, the Board found that new evidence did not establish service connection for chest injury or jaw injury.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) has been dismissed as the appeal was withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA psychiatric examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since April 4, 2001.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD and left knee pain to obtain additional records, including unit history from his service in the Persian Gulf War. The Veteran will also be scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if he meets the criteria for PTSD due to verified stressors during service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for posttraumatic stress disorder was denied as the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(c) do not apply to his case, and he did not provide sufficient information for VA to verify his claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD, and finds that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his active duty service. Therefore, the claim is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The effective dates for the granted benefits are established.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors and determine if service connection for PTSD can be established.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from May 1, 1997, to February 28, 2000. Since February 29, 2000, the symptoms most closely approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, including suicidal thoughts, depression, and anger issues, meet the criteria for a 70 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent effective July 6, 2004. The issue of TDIU is now moot due to the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and rated at 70 percent since November 24, 2003. The Board found that the current symptoms do not warrant an increase in rating.

The Veteran's sole service-connected disability (PTSD) meets the minimum schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, but it does not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to locate and obtain service treatment records, as well as a lack of attempts to verify the claimed stressor. The Veteran needs to have his claims for service connection reviewed again after further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because there is no verified in-service stressor. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen a claim for service connection for another psychiatric disorder other than PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran was granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected PTSD effective from October 17, 2002. The Board found that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date should be granted as he became unemployable prior to January 26, 1998.