PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for liver cancer, secondary to alcohol abuse and PTSD. The VA needs to obtain all relevant medical records and provide a psychiatric opinion on whether alcohol abuse was caused by service-connected PTSD.

The veteran's claims for a compensable rating and an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD are being considered. The Board will review the evidence to determine if it supports granting these ratings.

The Board has found that the veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during his service in Vietnam, and therefore, his PTSD is presumed to have been incurred in service. The claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding no credible supporting evidence of the claimed stressors and thus no diagnosis of PTSD related to an in-service event.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need to verify his claimed in-service stressors.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and dysthymia, finding no credible diagnosis of PTSD and concluding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for dysthymia.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability as a result of a left foot injury in service and is not entitled to an increased rating for his hallux valgus deformity.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient evidence of in-service stressors.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD prior to April 5, 2004, and to a rating in excess of 50 percent thereafter; entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 13, 2000, and to a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter; and service connection for carcinoma of the nasopharynx and sphenoid bone due to herbicide exposure. The veteran's claims were denied as there was no evidence linking his current conditions to military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and vasospasms of the hands and feet, but denied service connection for low back disability. The veteran's current low back condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD based on new evidence that includes a verified stressor event. The claim will now be reviewed de novo to determine if service connection can be established.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for higher SMC ratings and an earlier effective date, finding that he did not meet the criteria for a higher level of care or aid and attendance based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a low back disability, finding no evidence of current diagnoses or causation. The rating for residuals of a gunshot wound with neuropathy of left radial and medial nerves was protected by regulation due to its long duration. The veteran's upper and chest arm scars were not found to meet the criteria for compensable evaluations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and conducting an addendum to the August 2004 VA examination. The issues of a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and TDIU are held in abeyance pending completion of this development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's claimed PTSD, including a lack of specific information about stressful events in Vietnam. The veteran is asked to provide more detailed information and VA will conduct further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent, as his symptoms do not warrant such an evaluation based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The veteran's request for a rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches was denied. The claims for service connection for Addison's Disease and PTSD were previously denied, but the claim for PTSD has been reopened due to new evidence provided by the veteran.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for further verification of his claimed stressors and a VA examination.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and whether he has any chronic headaches that are related to his service-connected PTSD.

The veteran is seeking higher disability ratings for his service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and back injuries. The RO has remanded the case to obtain additional evidence from Social Security Administration records.