A 50 percent rating for PTSD is granted effective May 14, 2008.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD from August 8, 2018 is denied.,Compensation for eczema is granted at a noncompensable level (0%) throughout the appeal period.,A compensable rating of 40 percent for degenerative joint disease lumbar spine is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, prior to August 8, 2018, met criteria warranting a 50% rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.,For the period from August 8, 2018 onwards, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating of 70%. The symptoms were moderate to severe but did not reach total occupational and social impairment.,The Veteran's eczema was rated noncompensably (0%) as it covered less than 5% of his entire body or exposed areas, with no systemic therapy required during the past year.,The Veteran’s degenerative joint disease lumbar spine warranted a 40% rating due to forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, eczema, degenerative joint disease lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- March 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19115788
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 19115788.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
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