PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case due to credibility issues regarding the Veteran's claimed service in Vietnam and a need for further examination related to his alleged exposure to typhoons at Clark Air Base in the Philippines.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable due to PTSD, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression disorder prior to June 5, 2009 was manifested by symptoms such as social isolation, irritability, anger, occasional depression, hypervigilance, insomnia, nightmares and intrusive thoughts. The VA examiner found that there were no more than occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks due to symptoms like depressed mood, anxiety, and chronic sleep impairment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for PTSD and found that new evidence supports this claim. The Veteran is also entitled to a psychiatric examination to determine if she has any mental disorder related to service.

The Board has ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office to obtain additional ship's logs for the USS Rainier for the Veteran's service period. The case will be remanded for further action based on this request.

The Board has determined that the Veteran must be afforded a new and comprehensive VA psychiatric examination to determine if he meets the criteria for service connection of PTSD.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 50 percent for PTSD, effective January 19, 2006. The Veteran's PTSD is characterized by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to verify stressors and determine if the Veteran's presence at Clark Air Force Base during an earthquake in June 1990 and prior to the main eruption of Mount Pinatubo is sufficient to establish PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and an increased rating for the Veteran's gunshot wound to the left thigh, including a total left knee arthroplasty, status post-revision.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development, including searching deck logs of the USS Nicholas from July 1 through August 31, 1969, for entries related to enemy surface attacks and the crew's actions. The Veteran will be given an opportunity to respond to this additional evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD has caused total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% disability rating.

The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, back disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims were not supported by credible evidence of in-service stressors or medical nexus to his current conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety, depression, fatigue, memory loss, heart disorder, and skin disorder have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because there is no verified in-service stressor to support a connection between the diagnosis and events in service.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for bipolar disorder and remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of a low back injury with sciatica, as well as the issue regarding psychiatric disability (including PTSD).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence, but has denied the claim as there is no verified in-service stressor that would support a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right total knee replacement, bilateral hearing loss, and posttraumatic stress disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to reassess the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD during a hearing before the Board. The remaining issues are remanded for additional development.