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PTSD is one of the most-claimed VA disabilities. Service connection usually turns on a verified in-service stressor plus a current diagnosis; for combat or fear-of-hostile-activity stressors the evidence bar is often lower. It is rated on occupational and social impairment.
VA rating schedule, diagnostic code 9411
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is a recognized mental health condition that the VA can service-connect when three things are shown. Under the VA's rule, you need a medical diagnosis of PTSD that follows the VA's required standard, a medically established link between your current symptoms and a stressful event during service (the "stressor"), and credible evidence that the in-service stressor actually happened. There are some easier paths to prove the stressor: if you have a PTSD diagnosis during service, or you engaged in combat with the enemy, and the stressor fits the circumstances of your service, your own statement (lay testimony) alone may be enough to establish that the stressor occurred unless there is clear and convincing evidence against it. A similar relaxed rule applies when the stressor is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity and a VA psychiatrist or psychologist confirms it supports the diagnosis.
The VA rates PTSD under diagnostic code 9411, using the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. Ratings are assigned at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100 percent based on how much the condition impairs your work life and social life, not just on a list of symptoms. For example, a 30 percent rating reflects occasional decrease in work efficiency with symptoms like depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, weekly-or-less panic attacks, chronic sleep problems, and mild memory loss, while 50 percent reflects reduced reliability and productivity from symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks more than once a week, and trouble keeping effective work and social relationships. A 70 percent rating reflects deficiencies in most areas with symptoms like suicidal ideation or near-continuous panic or depression, and 100 percent reflects total occupational and social impairment with the most severe symptoms. In short, what drives a higher percentage is how severely the symptoms limit your ability to function at work and in your relationships.
Unlike some conditions, PTSD is generally service-connected through the stressor pathway above rather than through a toxic-exposure presumptive list like Agent Orange or burn pits. The most important "shortcut" for PTSD is the relaxed stressor rules in the regulation for combat veterans and for stressors tied to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, which can reduce how much outside evidence you need to prove the stressor happened. A denial is a starting point, not the end, and you have options to appeal or add evidence.
This is educational information only and is not legal advice or a VA decision about your individual claim.
Grounded in federal regulations and VA guidance, independently reviewed June 2026. Educational information, not legal advice or a VA determination.
Across 168,869 real Board appeals for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
A denial is often not the end either — remands (shown below) are sent back for more development and can still end in a grant. These are historical outcomes, not a prediction of your case.
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Among the appeals that were granted or partly granted, the most common ways PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) was linked to service:
In appeals where PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) was the only condition decided and the Board granted it, the rating most often assigned was:
These appeals involved a recognized exposure — which can mean the link to service is presumed, with no nexus to prove:
The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50% effective October 2, 2018.,PTSD is rated at 70% effective October 2, 2018. The Veteran also received a TDIU based solely on PTSD and SMC at the housebound rate.
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, insomnia/sleep disorder, and unspecified anxiety disorder (also claimed as anxiety, depression, and panic disorder) due to the Veteran's in-service stressful events.
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as a result of military sexual trauma (MST) that occurred during service. The Board found the Veteran's testimony and supporting evidence credible, including her VA and private treatment records.
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus prevented them from maintaining substantially gainful employment since August 13, 2024. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military sexual trauma (MST). The issues of entitlement to service connection for alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use disorder and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
The Veteran's PTSD is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity in Vietnam, and his alcohol use disorder is due to his PTSD. Service connection for PTSD with alcohol use disorder has been granted.
Jump to the decisions from a specific year.
New decisions are added every week, and older years are actively being backfilled — a year that looks thin or missing here (especially 2011–2017) is a gap in our library, not in the Board’s decisions.
Veterans appealing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) often look at outcomes for these too:
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