PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if any of the Veteran's alleged stressor events are corroborated and to seek psychiatric evaluations to determine if he has a current psychiatric disability that is related to his service.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since December 26, 2006. Effective September 9, 2009, the rating was increased to 70 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neurological disorder and a psychiatric disorder were denied. The claims for initial compensable evaluations for residuals of right and left fifth toe arthroplasty were also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The initial evaluation for PTSD remains at 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is to determine if his current 50 percent evaluation for PTSD should be increased. The VA has requested additional medical evidence and a new examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for PTSD. The Veteran was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, which constitutes sufficient evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Veteran seeks service connection for head injury residuals and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression and PTSD. The Board has determined that additional records are needed to fully evaluate the claims.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD should be remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and unverified in-service stressor.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA psychiatric examination to assess the current level of severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service experiences and that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding the merits of the issue.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge of the Board.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital from February 8, 2004, to February 20, 2004, due to lack of prior authorization and because the appellant had additional medical coverage in the form of Medicare.

The Veteran's current PTSD is shown by the evidence to be causally linked to stressors and events that occurred in service, and the Board finds that service connection for PTSD is warranted.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's experiences in Iraq involving fear of hostile military or terrorist activity are sufficient to establish a stressor and her symptoms are related to these events.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.