PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to alcohol abuse related to PTSD. The issue of DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed as moot.

The VA denied a rating in excess of the current 70 percent for PTSD, citing significant impairment but not meeting criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for an effective date prior to July 19, 1993 for PTSD service connection and a June 26, 2000 rating of 100 percent for schizoaffective disorder with PTSD have been granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current PTSD is due to stressful events he experienced in service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus grants service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's claim for a disability evaluation in excess of 50 percent for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was denied. The RO had previously granted service connection and assigned a 30 percent evaluation, which was later increased to 50 percent effective March 1, 2000.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 and proper consideration of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that there was no link between current symptoms and an in-service stressor or noise exposure, respectively.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted since the April 1998 decision supports a finding of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) as secondary to service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a 100% evaluation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder effective April 3, 2000.

The Board has remanded the case to consider whether an effective date prior to February 14, 1994, for a total disability rating for PTSD should be granted.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for anxiety neurosis, effective from the date of the initial reduction. The claim for entitlement to total rating for compensation purposes based upon individual unemployability is moot as the veteran's disability rating was restored.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to a verified stressor involving witnessing the explosion of a jeep resulting in the death or severe injury of its occupants.

The Board has found that the veteran experienced significantly stressful events during her service in Vietnam as a nurse, and her PTSD symptoms are linked to these experiences. Therefore, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for temporary total ratings based on hospitalization while he was a resident at COPIN House, finding that his residence did not constitute hospitalization.

The veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment since the initial grant of service connection, warranting a 100 percent evaluation.

The Board found that the RO's December 1997 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, as the correct facts were before them at the time of the decision. The appellant did not provide specific details of his alleged in-service stressors, and there is no evidence to verify a single traumatic event that might alter one's mental or physical life.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service, and his PTSD is service-connected based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents. The effective date for these determinations is not specified.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining records of mental health treatment and verifying alleged stressors.

The veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as the RO had already awarded a 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD, which is considered total disability. The issues of increased ratings for hearing loss and tinnitus are pending.