PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during his service in Vietnam and therefore, his claimed stressors are considered to be true. The veteran is diagnosed with PTSD which was linked by competent medical opinion to his reported in-service stressors. As such, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and earlier effective date have been remanded due to procedural deficiencies. His claim for a TDIU is also raised by his assertions, necessitating further development.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and granted a compensable rating of 10% for hearing loss. The veteran now has service-connected PTSD, which is presumed due to combat exposure in Vietnam. His hearing loss is rated as noncompensable.

The Board has granted a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD, finding that the veteran's condition causes total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and residuals of an injury to the left fibula due to a lack of verified in-service stressors, resulting in denial of both issues.

The Board found that the veteran was not entitled to an effective date prior to January 7, 1997 for his TDIU award due to lack of factual evidence showing he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation solely due to service-connected disabilities prior to that date.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder is remanded due to the need for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a lack of VCAA compliance and the need for a new medical examination.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on the criteria set forth in the Rating Schedule.

The Board found that the veteran's reported sexual assault during active duty did not have sufficient corroboration and thus denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat and thus could not establish service connection for PTSD based on a stressor related to combat. The evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD, and there is no credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since November 6, 1996. The Board granted a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and dismissed the issue of TDIU as moot due to the grant of a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a definitive diagnosis of PTSD and that his claimed stressors are not combat-related. The service medical records did not show any definitive evidence linking PTSD to active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD should have been granted earlier, effective December 22, 1992. The RO denied service connection for PTSD in November 1993 due to a lack of evidence showing the veteran had PTSD at that time. However, VA records show the veteran began receiving treatment for PTSD on November 29, 1992, and was diagnosed with PTSD by a private psychiatrist in October 1993. The Board found that there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the November 1993 rating decisions.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an effective date prior to May 20, 1998 for the grant of service connection for PTSD due to personal assault.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death certificate shows he died from blunt trauma injuries, but his service connection for PTSD was pending at the time of his death. The evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to combat exposure in Vietnam and the Board grants this claim as accrued benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a nervous disorder, including diagnoses of PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. The new evidence submitted did not meet the criteria for reopening the claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination, additional records requested, and clarification of certain aspects of his claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have a diagnosis of PTSD and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.