The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, increased rating for hearing loss, and initial disability ratings for diabetes mellitus were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a valid PTSD diagnosis in conformity with DSM-IV criteria.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner noted that the Veteran was unable to elicit stressors or symptoms for PTSD due to his dementia and aphasia, making it impossible to meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD as per DSM-IV.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Hearing Loss, Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2010
- Citation
- 1005316
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 1005316.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
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