The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as he does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet the required elements of persistent avoidance and numbing of general responsiveness, which are essential components of PTSD.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner noted that although the Veteran reported persistent reexperiencing of trauma and some symptoms of increased arousal, these were not enough to meet the criteria for PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type II, Psychiatric Disability Other Than PTSD
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0940987
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 0940987.
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 PTSD alone is sufficient to grant a TDIU, and his other service-connected disabilities are at least 60% combined. The Veteran also meets the criteria for SMC based on housebound status.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and effective dates have been denied. The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are currently rated at 60 percent, 20 percent, and varying percentages respectively.
- Granted
The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, finding that the condition first manifested during military service and is related to in-service glycosuria.
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