PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since September 28, 2007, due to symptoms such as depression, irritability, sleep problems, anxiety, hypervigilance, nightmares, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was granted with an effective date of February 27, 2006. The Board found that the March 5, 2004 VA clinical record constituted a clear intent to apply for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD causes total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating. The claim for TDIU is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further evidentiary development, including obtaining VA treatment records from September 2007 to the present.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from performing the duties of a TSA baggage screener, and his current occupation is not unsuitable based on his specific employment handicap and capabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, migraine headaches, and a nervous condition with depression and memory loss. The evidence received since the January 2002 rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for Migraine Headaches and a Nervous Condition with Depression and Memory Loss remains denied as new and material evidence has not been submitted.

The Veteran's service connection for multiple disabilities, including PTSD and hearing loss, was granted effective June 13, 2008. The effective date is based on the receipt of his VA Form 21-526 application in June 2008.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration and verifying the Veteran's alleged in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ is denied under the law.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because the evidence did not show that he engaged in combat with the enemy and his claimed stressors could not be verified.

The Board found that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and his claimed stressors were not related to service. Therefore, the claim for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a verified in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD is shown to have been manifested by symptoms including depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, nightmares, and flashbacks. The Board found that the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation were met prior to July 10, 2003, but not for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent as of that date.

The Board's May 2009 decision and remand order is vacated due to the Veteran's death in July 2007, and the appeal is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction) render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a higher rating for his left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and analysis.

The Board is remanding the claim to the RO for further development and consideration, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's PTSD is due to a personal assault during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional evidence submitted by the veteran, and the RO should review this evidence and readjudicate the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD lacks legal merit, and his initial rating for PTSD prior to May 23, 2008, and from that date forward remains at 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of information to corroborate the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors for PTSD.