The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.,It was not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's right knee sprain with instability and left knee sprain with instability increased to a 10 percent disability rating prior to November 24, 2008.,The Veteran's left osteoarthritis acromioclavicular joint with subacromial bursitis is manifested by limitation of motion at shoulder level but not anklyosis. The effective date for the 10 percent rating remains unchanged as it was granted on July 10, 2009.,The Veteran's Achilles tendonitis with osteoarthritis, right ankle and left ankle are both currently rated at 10 percent and have no evidence of ankylosis or other significant impairment. The effective date for the 10 percent ratings remains unchanged as they were granted on July 10, 2009.,For the entirety of the period on appeal, the Veteran's PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a combination of service-connected disabilities that preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.,There was no increase in disability for right knee sprain with instability and left knee sprain with instability prior to November 24, 2008.,Left osteoarthritis acromioclavicular joint with subacromial bursitis is currently rated at 20 percent and the effective date remains unchanged as it was granted on July 10, 2009.,Achilles tendonitis with osteoarthritis of both ankles are currently rated at 10 percent and the effective dates remain unchanged as they were granted on July 10, 2009.,PTSD is manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Osteoarthritis Acromioclavicular Joint with Subacromial Bursitis, Right Knee Sprain with Instability, Left Knee Sprain with Instability, Achilles Tendonitis with Osteoarthritis, Right Ankle, Achilles Tendonitis with Osteoarthritis, Left Ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2016
- Citation
- 1605309
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 1605309.
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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