The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and for an effective date prior to April 9, 2010, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board found that VA could not have obtained relevant records when it initially decided the claim due to the Veteran's failure to provide sufficient information.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to provide sufficient information for VA to identify and obtain relevant official service department records at the time of his initial claim in January 2003, which prevented an earlier effective date based on lack of such records.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2015
- Citation
- 1553525
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 1553525.
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
Service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is granted. The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was denied, and he was granted a TDIU. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a 100% disability rating.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder with Insomnia Disorder, was granted. The effective date is set at October 25, 2022.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70% rating effective March 25, 2024. The Board found that the increase in severity of his disability warranted this rating.
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