The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol dependence was manifested by symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks more than once a week, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, flattened affect, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, and difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances. The Veteran is not precluded from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation by reason of his service-connected PTSD with alcohol dependence.
The deciding factor: The VA examination revealed symptoms consistent with the criteria for a 50 percent disability rating under DC 9411, but did not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to lack of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with alcohol dependence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 25, 2015
- Citation
- 1536396
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1536396.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol dependence is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an increased 70 percent disability rating for PTSD with alcohol dependence effective November 1, 2019, and an earlier effective date of November 1, 2019, for basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD with alcohol dependence and residuals of TBI with peripheral vestibular disorder, finding that the severity, frequency, and duration of his symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas prior to March 28, 2023.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD with alcohol dependence prior to July 13, 2023, and the claim for a higher rating from that date was denied. The claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance were also denied.
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