The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic irritation of the eyes was denied. The issue of entitlement to an effective date prior to March 3, 2012, for service connection for a major depressive disorder with psychotic features and PTSD is also denied.,Service connection has been granted for a major depressive disorder with psychotic features and PTSD, but no rating in excess of 70 percent is warranted. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) prior to October 20, 2015, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter was denied.,Service connection has been granted for cervical myofascial strain and degenerative joint disease (DJD), but no higher ratings are warranted. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a left hip strain, rated 10 percent disabling, is also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support service connection for the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic inflammation of the eyes, Muscle and joint pain, claimed as medically unexplained physical symptoms
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19105027
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,421 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19105027.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
- 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.
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