Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 10/16/2000

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Claims Based on Personal Assault

This document proposes to amend Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adjudication regulations concerning the proof necessary to establish occurrence of a stressor in claims for service connection of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from personal assault. This amendment would provide that evidence other than the veteran's service records may be sufficient to establish the occurrence of the stressor. The proposed regulation also would require that VA not deny such claims without first advising claimants that evidence from sources other than a veteran's service records may prove the stressor occurred. This would make claimants aware of the types of evidence which might support their claims, and would give them an opportunity to obtain and submit such evidence. It would also ensure that VA will not deny claims simply because the claimants did not realize that certain types of evidence may be relevant and therefore failed to submit such evidence to VA.