The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, but the status of service connection for low back disorder and skin disorder is unknown due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) is considered a result of combat stressors experienced during his deployment in Iraq.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided sufficient evidence to establish that he engaged in combat with the enemy, which allows his lay testimony regarding his in-service experiences to be accepted as conclusive evidence of the occurrence of an in-service stressor. His PTSD symptoms are linked to these in-service stressors and meet the DSM-IV criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), Low back disorder, Skin disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 21, 2014
- Citation
- 1417721
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 1417721.
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 a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, bilateral knee disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the evidence did not show an in-service onset or relationship to service.
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