Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Claims Based on Personal Assault

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adjudication regulations concerning the type of evidence that may be relevant in corroborating a veteran's statement regarding the occurrence of a stressor in claims for service connection of post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from personal assault. This amendment provides that evidence other than the veteran's service records may corroborate the occurrence of the stressor. This amendment also requires that VA not deny PTSD claims based on personal assault without first advising claimants that evidence from sources other than the veteran's service records may help prove the stressor occurred. These changes are necessary to ensure that VA does not deny such claims simply because the claimant did not realize that certain types of evidence may be relevant to substantiate his or her claim.