PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, dementia, split personality disorder, and schizophrenia. As such, the claim is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for renal cancer, disability of the spine, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD) as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of evidence showing a current disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a review of the claims folder by an examiner to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to service. The case will be returned to the Board for readjudication.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and therefore denied service connection for PTSD. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence that he filed a timely appeal to the October 2002 rating decision denying his initial claim.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and hemorrhoids have been withdrawn. The appeal for an initial evaluation higher than 30 percent for PTSD is being remanded for additional development.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his fear of hostile military activity during service and grants service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective May 31, 2006. The evidence does not show that his condition warrants a higher evaluation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and determined that there is sufficient new and material evidence to reopen the claim. The Board also found credible evidence supporting the Veteran's reported in-service stressor, leading to a determination that service connection for PTSD should be granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted based on his symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an increased evaluation of PTSD, and the RO assigned a 50% rating effective July 29, 2005. The Veteran's service connection claim for chloracne secondary to in-service herbicide exposure remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination regarding his service-connected PTSD and its impact on his ability to work. The TDIU issue will be adjudicated after the PTSD claim is resolved.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and gastrointestinal disorder are not found to be related to his active service or service-connected conditions. The Board denied the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development of the claims, including consideration of staged ratings and referral for an extraschedular TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and REM Sleep Behavior Disorder due to potential issues with the current evidence, including a need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and currently rated at 50 percent, effective December 28, 2006.

The Board has determined that the apportionment of $250.00 monthly for support of the claimant, his spouse, is proper based on the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and the financial information provided.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and consideration of recent medical records.