The Veteran's PTSD with secondary unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder was not productive of total social and occupational impairment prior to February 23, 2011. The Veteran's fibromyalgia with epicondylitis has been manifested by constant and refractory chronic fatigue, paresthesias in the hands and feet, tremors in the hands, and musculoskeletal symptoms including pain, stiffness, muscle weakness, achiness, myalgia, arthralgia, and decreased exercise tolerance. The Veteran does not currently have a right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.
The deciding factor: The appellant's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a 100 percent rating due to his ability to maintain effective relationships and perform activities of daily living.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 2, 2017
- Citation
- 1703159
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 1703159.
What this means for you
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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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