The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with headaches and cold injury residuals of the feet, are considered to be so severe as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The veteran's moderate to moderately severe PTSD is manifested by daily debilitating headaches, anxiety, insomnia or nightmares, anger and irritability, intrusive thoughts, startle response, social isolation, and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores ranging from 40 to 50. His service-connected disabilities result in unemployability due to their severity.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder, cold injury residuals of the left foot, cold injury residuals of the right foot, peptic ulcer disease, scar residuals to the left side of the face
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 15, 2002
- Citation
- 0209915
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0209915.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to September 27, 2017. From September 27, 2017, the rating for depression increased to 70 percent.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer but remanded the claim for PTSD due to insufficient verification of stressor incidents.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
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