PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for PTSD, denied service connection for the motor vehicle accident residuals as secondary to PTSD, and granted service connection for a skin condition due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran meets the criteria for a current diagnosis of PTSD, which is linked to in-service stressors. As such, service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not engage in combat and there is no credible supporting evidence of a verified inservice stressor. Therefore, service connection for PTSD cannot be granted.

The VA denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the validity of his PTSD claim and the current severity of his right elbow disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 50 percent rating, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for PTSD, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board finds that the veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has granted an increased disability rating of 70 percent for the veteran's service-connected PTSD, effective as of the date of the decision. The veteran is also found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has ordered additional development of the record, including obtaining service medical records and any relevant treatment records from Drs. Lanthorn, Riaz, and Carr. The veteran is also required to provide information about unreimbursed medical expenses from 2000 onwards. A VA psychiatric examination will be conducted to determine the etiology of any currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent from October 6, 1998 to October 31, 2001 and at 50 percent since November 1, 2001. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a rating of 70 percent, which is higher than the current 50 percent assigned. The effective date for this increased rating remains to be determined.

The veteran's PTSD caused occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks during the period from November 29, 1999 to June 6, 2000.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting psychiatric disorder was not aggravated by his military service.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU, finding that his service-connected PTSD alone did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, a cervical spine condition, and PTSD were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for further examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his PTSD is being remanded due to procedural issues related to the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the veteran's current PTSD is related to his military experiences in Vietnam. The claim of service connection for Reiter's syndrome remains pending and requires further examination.