The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and right knee disability were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of PTSD, no evidence of marked impairment in the feet or knees warranting a higher rating, and insufficient instability to support an additional rating under Diagnostic Code 5261.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a current diagnosis of PTSD. The veteran's pes planus and right knee disability were rated based on their current severity without meeting higher criteria for more severe conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral Pes Planus, Residuals of Torn Cartilage of the Right Knee with Degenerative Changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 6, 2000
- Citation
- 0031735
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0031735.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
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