The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder are related to his service in Vietnam, including exposure to herbicide agents. The Board finds that the Veteran has a heart disability (IHD) and hypertension that may be related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder were diagnosed as being related to combat service in Vietnam, which is considered presumptive for such conditions due to exposure to herbicide agents. The VA examiner found a history of lumps/lipomas developing shortly after service in Vietnam, with the possibility that they may be related to presumed exposure to herbicide agents and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2017
- Citation
- 1729314
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 1729314.
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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