The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD and thus, the first requirement for service connection was not met. For his lumbar spine disability, the Veteran received an initial rating of 40 percent prior to March 12, 2018, under the old criteria, which is now rated as 20 percent disabling under the new General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (DC 5243). The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy and residuals of a fracture of the right tibia and fibula were denied.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD, which is required to establish service connection. For his lumbar spine disability, the Veteran received an initial rating based on the old criteria (40 percent) prior to March 12, 2018, and this rating has not changed under the new criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depressive disorder, Lumbar spine disability, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Residuals of a fracture of the right tibia and fibula
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 10, 2018
- Citation
- 18125785
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18125785.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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