The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from May 5, 2009 to July 25, 2013. The Veteran's other claims have been denied.
The deciding factor: PTSD was shown to be related to active duty service and the evidence is at least in equipoise that it caused or aggravated fibromyalgia, which is considered a chronic multisymptom illness associated with Gulf War Illness.
- Claimed conditions
- frostbite residuals of the bilateral hands and feet, major depressive disorder (MDD), widespread musculoskeletal joint pain and stiffness of the neck, back, right knee, bilateral wrists, elbows, shoulders, and hips; fatigue; headaches; irritable bowel syndrome, right ankle arthritis, left knee disability, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- March 18, 2016
- Citation
- 1611097
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 1611097.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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