PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD from November 30, 2007 was denied. The RO found that the Veteran's PTSD manifested with symptoms such as difficulty understanding complex commands and impairment of short and long term memory.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, resulting in dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The effective date is set at August 29, 2003.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and finds that new and material evidence has been presented. The Veteran's account of his stressors is credible, and he was diagnosed with PTSD related to his confirmed military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to assess the extent of his PTSD and for consideration of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the absence of a diagnosis of PTSD by a psychologist or psychiatrist.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a temporary total rating from November 20, 2007 until January 1, 2008. The RO increased the evaluation for PTSD to 70 percent effective January 1, 2008. A compensable rating of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss is granted as of January 31, 2007. No new and material evidence was presented to reopen a claim for postoperative residuals of internal and external hemorrhoids and anal skin tags.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and anxiety, as it fails to provide verifiable in-service stressors or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and a review of his medical records.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, and the Board has found that he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that an effective date earlier than June 6, 2000, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was not warranted. The decision is now amended to grant an effective date of October 18, 1982.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this disability. The evidence does not support a higher evaluation as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 70 or 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with other disabilities, does not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for denying service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with additional development, including verification of his claimed stressors.

The veteran's motion for revision of a Board decision based on clear and unmistakable error was dismissed without prejudice due to insufficient allegations.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claims for PTSD and diabetes, thus denying these claims as a matter of law.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher initial evaluation. The Veteran also has other service-connected disabilities that have led to a TDIU rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD. The issue is now on the merits.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for reimbursement of expenses of her husband's last sickness from accrued benefits, finding that she did not bear any expense related to his last sickness or burial.