The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating. The Veteran also received a TDIU prior to August 7, 2018 due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s PTSD symptoms did not result in total occupational and social impairment, thus preventing him from meeting the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19120802
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,913 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19120802.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of PTSD, dysthymic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder as there is no credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressor.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran was granted service connection for other conditions such as Chiari malfunction with cervical syrinx, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, obstructive sleep apnea, right wrist disability (carpal tunnel syndrome), left wrist disability (carpal tunnel syndrome), and bilateral shoulder impingement syndrome and AC joint DJD. The Veteran's respiratory disorder remains at 30 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to blunt force trauma to the head, finding that there is no evidence linking the Veteran's service-connected PTSD medications to his fall and subsequent death. The decision was based on VA medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial 10 percent rating for burn scars of the left leg and groin is granted. The case is remanded for further examination to determine if additional disabling effects warrant a separate compensable rating, and for new examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD with major depressive disorder and mild neurocognitive disorder, as well as TBI residuals.
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