The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease was granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for an earlier effective date for the PTSD rating increase was denied as no evidence showed an increase in disability prior to August 24, 2005.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's heart disease is presumptively linked to his military service due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. However, there was no evidence showing a worsening of the PTSD symptoms before August 24, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Disease, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 23, 2011
- Citation
- 1119708
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 1119708.
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.
- 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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