The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal of increased staged ratings for PTSD, was satisfied with his current rating for burns to his right hand, arm, and wrist, and requested withdrawal of all other issues. The TDIU claim is addressed in a separate remand.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and an earlier effective date for the burn scars of the right hand, arm, and wrist, and was satisfied with his current rating for these disabilities. His request to withdraw all other issues was granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Radius Fracture with Open Reduction, Internal Fixation, and Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Wrist, Burn Scars of the Face, Ear, and Neck, Right Hand, Upper Arm, and Wrist Burns, Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2016
- Citation
- 1602206
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 1602206.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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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