The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is characterized by social impairment, chronic recurring nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, irritability, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and a suicide attempt. The GAF scores ranged from 35 to 70 during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of social withdrawal, panic attacks, recurrent nightmares, flashbacks, memory impairment, mood disturbances, and suicidal ideation more closely approximate the criteria for a 50 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a left knee injury, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- March 5, 2009
- Citation
- 0908054
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,613 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0908054.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders and their relationship to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral lower extremity conditions and PTSD, resulted in a loss of use of both lower extremities such that he is entitled to specially adapted housing.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, finding that these conditions are related to military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left hand pain are granted increased ratings, while his PTSD is denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent.
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