The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating of 50 percent is warranted due to his symptoms.,The Veteran's status post head concussion with post-concussion syndrome and headaches are currently rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating of 40 percent is warranted based on the severity of his condition.,The Veteran's mixed headache disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 8100.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD and has reported symptoms including nightmares, irritability, anxiety, hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, exaggerated startle response, and problems with crowds and being around those of Middle Eastern descent. These symptoms have caused occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.,The Veteran's status post head concussion with post-concussion syndrome has been diagnosed as having mild memory loss shown on testing, occasional impairment of communication, and no impairment of judgement, social interaction, orientation, motor activity, visual spatial orientation, neurobehavioral effects, or subjective symptoms separate from his PTSD symptoms. The Board finds that a higher rating is warranted due to the severity of his condition.,The Veteran's mixed headache disorder has been diagnosed as secondary to TBI and manifests with prostrating headaches once a month. The Board finds that a higher rating is warranted based on the frequency and intensity of his headaches.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Status Post Head Concussion with Post-Concussion Syndrome, Mixed Headache Disorder (Tension type and Migraines)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 21, 2016
- Citation
- 1644015
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 1644015.
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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