The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on tinnitus, hearing loss, and coronary artery disease was withdrawn. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD with dysthymic disorder effective from May 6, 2011, the date of his claim. The TDIU claim was also granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's psychiatric manifestations have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in work, family relations, and mood; impaired impulse control; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a work-like setting; and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. These symptoms are consistent with the criteria for a 70 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, hearing loss, coronary artery disease, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dysthymic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 18, 2018
- Citation
- 1803245
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 1803245.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
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The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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