PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent rating for PTSD was denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU with an earlier effective date than June 23, 1998, was granted and the effective date set at November 24, 1997.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from February 19, 1997, to June 23, 1998, was denied.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied, but his anxiety disorder NOS was granted and found to be related to service. The rating assigned is 30%.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied, but he is granted service connection for depression as secondary to his service-connected fibromyalgia.

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

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be etiologically related to her service, specifically the sexual assaults she experienced while on active duty.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include depression (depression), was granted with a rating of 70 percent effective April 18, 2007. The earlier effective date claim for this condition is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar spondylosis is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and it was incurred in or as a result of active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records, personnel records, and examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The issue is remanded to allow for additional development and consideration.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated medical evidence and to schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination. The appeal will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining terminal treatment records and clarifying a previous VA medical opinion regarding whether service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 31, 2007, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no indication that a formal or informal claim was filed before this date.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 60 percent evaluation for loss of use of left hand from May 9, 2006 was dismissed because he did not file a notice of disagreement within the applicable time period.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder and adjustment disorder, is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding his experiences at Da Nang Air Base in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran has PTSD related to his military service in Somalia. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and is granting it, finding that new and material evidence has been received.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since November 9, 2004. The RO increased the rating to 50 percent effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since March 4, 2003. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU have also been met since March 17, 2005.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance of another person during his period of incarceration from May 1991 to April 1997 is denied as he does not meet the criteria for this benefit.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since service. The other claims were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression is currently rated at 50 percent, which adequately reflects the severity of his symptoms. The disability rating for perforated tympanic membranes remains non-compensable.