Prior to August 19, 2009, the Veteran's PTSD was characterized by sleep disturbances, nightmares, flashbacks, frequent tearful episodes, generalized anxiety, and episodic depressed mood. There were no significant symptoms such as suicidal ideation, flattened affect, unusual speech pattern, impaired judgment, or memory loss.,Since August 19, 2009, the Veteran's PTSD has been characterized by flashbacks, frequent tearful episodes, depression, loss of interest in activities he once enjoyed, and isolation from others. There were no significant symptoms such as obsessional rituals, intermittent illogical speech, near-continuous panic or depression affecting his ability to function independently, appropriate and effectively, spatial disorientation, or negligent personal appearance and hygiene.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to August 19, 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 26, 2011
- Citation
- 1103322
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 1103322.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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