PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied, as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's general rating formula for mental disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination and consideration of the new version of 38 C.F.R. � 3.304.

The Veteran's skin condition, tinea cruris and corporis, was found to have been aggravated by service. The Veteran also has a current diagnosis of PTSD related to fear of hostile enemy activity during service.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's tinea cruris and corporis as they were aggravated by service and for his PTSD due to a stressor in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of her claims file.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying stressors related to PTSD.

The Board found no evidence of an in-service traumatic event for PTSD and determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his VA treatment records from November 2009 to the present and removing records that belong to another Veteran. The TDIU claim will also be readjudicated.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since August 13, 2004. The Board found that the disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's low back disability was not first manifested on active duty service or within the first post-service year, and the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that it is related to military service.,Service connection for a low back disability is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 30 percent since August 11, 2006 and at 50 percent since July 16, 2008. The claim for a higher initial rating is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and finds that new evidence submitted since the last denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Veteran's hearing loss is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder as there was no credible evidence of an in-service stressor and the diagnosis of PTSD did not conform to DSM-IV criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and right ankle strain, but denied the remaining claims. The Veteran's skin rash disability claim is referred to the RO.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with secondary depressive disorder was rated at 70 percent prior to October 8, 2009, due to significant psychiatric symptoms and functional impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was received within a year of his discharge, and he engaged in combat. Therefore, the effective date for the grant of service connection is July 6, 1996.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evaluations and lack of corroboration for in-service stressors. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again after obtaining additional information and evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD remains pending. The issue of service connection for IBS has been resolved as the RO granted it with a 10% disability rating effective August 27, 2008.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and there is no evidence linking his nonservice-connected conditions to service.,The appellant did not meet the income/net worth requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.