The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hand disability was denied, but the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability (including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and schizoaffective disorder) was reopened and granted.,Service connection was also granted for a psychiatric disability. However, claims for service connection for left hand disability and low back disability were denied.
The deciding factor: The new evidence provided by the Veteran's private psychiatrist established that his current psychiatric disability is related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right hand disability, Psychiatric disability, Left hand disability, Low back disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 21, 2018
- Citation
- 18128047
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 18128047.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his psychiatric disability was the initial decision, and thus attorney fees are not eligible based on past due benefits awarded in April 2025.
- Denied
The Veteran's psychiatric disability is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the lowest possible rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating as they were intermittent and did not significantly impair his occupational or social functioning.
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