The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran also meets the requirements for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s PTSD does not result in total occupational and social impairment as required for a 100% rating, but he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, Right Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Left Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 22, 2018
- Citation
- 18143796
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 18143796.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
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