PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his in-service stressors and grants service connection for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed stressors are consistent with his service in the Southwest Asia Theatre of Operations and that his lay testimony alone may establish the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor. The VA psychologist confirmed that the claimed stressor is adequate to support a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be manifested by symptoms such as nightmares, poor sleep, a depressed mood, and an exaggerated startle response. The Board determined that the current disability picture does not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to August 18, 2009, or in excess of 70 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal for increased PTSD rating and left thigh scars rating has been withdrawn. The claim of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is granted, but the issue remains pending as new evidence supports reopening a previously denied claim for service connection for a left eye disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective January 27, 2010. The Board finds that the criteria for a higher initial rating have been met.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, was incurred in service or due to a personal assault. The examiner will also assess whether any preexisting condition worsened during service.

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

The Board is remanding the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and a TDIU due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including his July 2009 VA Mental Health Treatment Plan. Additional development is needed, including a more contemporaneous VA examination for PTSD and a determination on whether the Veteran is unemployable as a result of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, unspecified psychosis, and PTSD. The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's testimony provided more specific information regarding his experiences in Vietnam, which is necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and clarifying whether he desires a hearing on the issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination to assess his PTSD and a social worker's evaluation of his employment capacity. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct. However, the appellant is not eligible for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 because he did not have a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for at least ten years immediately preceding his death.

The Veteran's headaches and cognitive deficits, attributed to a TBI, are separate from his PTSD. The Board grants the Veteran entitlement to a separate rating for residuals of the TBI.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), based on new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board also considered the issue of whether she had an acquired psychiatric disorder, but did not find any new evidence to reopen her previous claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD, but further development is needed to determine whether the Veteran meets the criteria for this disorder and if it is related to his military service. The claim for service connection for schizophrenia remains pending.