The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by severe occupational and social impairment prior to March 2, 2011, with symptoms such as avoidance of people and crowds, impaired impulse control, irritability and agitation, depression and anxiety, self-medication with drugs and alcohol, nightmares, difficulty sleeping, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, impaired concentration and memory, anhedonia, distrust of others, visual hallucinations, and suicidal and homicidal ideations. The Veteran's symptoms prior to March 2, 2011 more nearly approximated a 70 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran exhibited severe occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to PTSD symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing effective relationships. These symptoms were present prior to March 2, 2011.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- July 24, 2015
- Citation
- 1531577
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 1531577.
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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