The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection, but the initial rating for PTSD prior to July 24, 2017 is denied. The initial rating of 50% is maintained thereafter (July 24, 2017 and onwards). Both LLE and RLE radiculopathy were denied with an initial rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they did not result in total occupational and social impairment. The current ratings reflect reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19124674
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,062 · Granted: 34% (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 19124674.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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