The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD with substance abuse is granted as his diagnosis of PTSD is linked to a personal assault during active service.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on the Veteran's reported in-service sexual assault and ongoing treatment for related symptoms, including PTSD and substance abuse.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with substance abuse
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19120564
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,977 · Granted: 27% (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 19120564.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD with substance abuse, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD with substance abuse was granted on August 15, 2016, and the effective date is set at that time.,The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also granted on August 15, 2016, and the effective date is set at that time.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD with substance abuse is currently rated at 70 percent from October 15, 2014 to March 15, 2016. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol abuse is rated at 50 percent since November 30, 2015. His right foot disability remains at a 50 percent rating.
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