The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits under Chapter 31 of Title 38 was denied because she is already employed in an occupation consistent with her abilities, aptitudes, and interests.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a combined rating of 90% from service-connected disabilities but does not meet the requirement of having an 'employment handicap' as defined by VA regulations. She has overcome the effects of her service-connected disabilities to obtain and maintain suitable employment in her current position as a background investigator for a police department.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Interstitial Cystitis, Skin Disability, Degenerative Arthritis of the Right Knee, Residuals of Tubal Fulguration, Chronic Open Angle Glaucoma, Right Knee Baker's Cyst
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2015
- Citation
- 1521972
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 1521972.
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 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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