The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was denied, and there is no legal entitlement to an effective date earlier than May 16, 2001, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a rating higher than 30 percent for PTSD prior to November 3, 2003, and there is no communication from the Veteran or his representative that constitutes a formal claim or an informal claim to reopen a service connection claim for PTSD subsequent to the final October 1981 rating decision and prior to May 16, 2001.
- 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
- February 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0904487
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since March 20, 2014, and the Board granted an effective date of that date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD was granted a rating of 100 percent, and service connection for migraines secondary to PTSD was also granted. The other issues were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date prior to September 1, 2023, for a 70 percent rating for PTSD.
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