PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA medical records from the Rocky Hill Veterans Facility/Newington VA Medical Center. The veteran's PTSD claim is still under review.

The veteran's PTSD was primarily manifested by flat affect, sleep disturbances, anxiety attacks, occasional suicidal ideation, isolating behavior, anger, and hatred of authority. The Board found that the disability picture more nearly approximated the criteria for a 50 percent evaluation prior to December 16, 2005.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for post-traumatic stress disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The veteran seeks an earlier effective date for his service-connected PTSD and TDIU, but the Board finds that no such effective date is warranted as there was no formal or informal claim filed prior to July 20, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 14, 2001 for service connection of PTSD. The decision found that the earliest evidence of intent to reopen the prior final denial was in a statement from the veteran received on December 14, 2001.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since the date of service connection, with occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, judgment, thinking, and mood.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. The appeal is granted in this regard.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance and/or housebound status is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records, a new VA examination, and further development of his case.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include organic impulse control disorder, as a residual of a head injury. Service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of verified in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in previous decisions and a need for additional development, including obtaining clarification of stressor events from service records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD due to a lack of corroborated stressors and insufficient evidence.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective from June 26, 2003. The appeal for an increased rating to 100 percent prior to August 24, 2005, was granted.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed in-service stressors were not verified, and his current diagnosis of PTSD was not linked to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for PTSD was denied.

The veteran's PTSD was productive of total occupational and social impairment from May 27, 1997 to November 7, 2000, warranting a 100% disability rating.

The Board finds that the veteran's PTSD is likely due to events experienced in service and grants service connection for PTSD.

The VA denied service connection for chloracne, which the veteran claimed was due to Agent Orange exposure. The VA found no evidence of a current skin disorder related to his service and concluded that any chloracne is not related to his Vietnam service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent disability rating, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the reduction of the rating for anxiety reaction with PTSD from 30% to 10%, finding that there was not sufficient evidence of material improvement in the veteran's condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by active service due to a lack of verified in-service stressors and combat experience. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is manifested by symptoms such as nightmares, sleep disturbance, moderate depression, and impaired social functioning for the period from February 24, 2000, to October 29, 2001. The criteria for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent have not been met.