The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD. The claim is granted as the veteran engaged in combat during his active duty, which establishes a link between his current PTSD symptoms and his military service.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service records show he served in Vietnam and participated in combat operations, meeting the criteria for engaging in combat with the enemy. His diagnosis of PTSD aligns with the DSM-IV criteria, and his testimony regarding stressors related to combat is accepted as conclusive evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2002
- Citation
- 0204933
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 0204933.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
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