The veteran's PTSD is manifested by substantial impairment in the ability to establish or maintain effective or favorable relationships with people, but not by serious or severe impairment in such ability, by at least severe or pronounced impairment in the ability to obtain or retain employment, by virtual isolation in the community, by totally incapacitating psychoneurotic symptoms, by total occupational impairment, or by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity or deficiencies in most areas. The Board finds that a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD is warranted.
The deciding factor: The veteran's PTSD symptoms cause moderate difficulty in social and occupational functioning, as evidenced by his restricted range of affect, emotional numbing, intrusive recollections, psychogenic amnesia, feelings of detachment, social isolation, confusion, and problems with concentration and attention. The GAF score of 51 reflects the severity of these symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2008
- Citation
- 0814129
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,776 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0814129.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted for the claim of entitlement to TDIU, which is being remanded. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for depression, other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder with alcohol use disorder, severe, and PTSD due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA examiners.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and a higher rating for PTSD are both denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by or secondary to a service-connected disorder, and the Board has granted entitlement to a service-connected burial allowance. However, the appellant's claim for a plot/interment allowance is denied as she did not incur any costs associated with such an interment.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.