Throughout the appeal period, the Veteran's unspecified trauma related disorder has been manifested by symptoms such as appropriate affect, fair mood, anxiety, panic attacks once a month, irritability without periods of violence, appropriate appearance and hygiene, speech within normal limits, good cognition, appropriate judgment, chronic sleep impairment, avoidance of crowds, hypervigilance, no suicidal ideations or hallucinations. The GAF scores have ranged between 40 and 60, indicating occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his disability does not result in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood, or total occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified trauma related disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- September 27, 2017
- Citation
- 1742757
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 1742757.
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 unspecified trauma related disorder is granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The right knee strain claim is remanded for further evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The reduction in the disability rating from 30 percent to 0 percent for unspecified trauma related disorder was improper, and restoration of the 30 percent rating is granted. The increased disability rating claim for an increase in the disability rating for unspecified trauma related disorder is remanded due to inadequate medical examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder, GAD, panic disorder, and unspecified trauma related disorder, based on the Veteran's in-service traumatic events at Guantanamo Bay.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. The examiner must consider all diagnoses of record and provide opinions on whether each is related to service or a service-connected disability.
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