The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The rating for PTSD remains unchanged as the symptoms do not meet criteria for higher ratings.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s PTSD did not present with symptoms that would warrant a higher rating (100%), but it caused occupational and social impairment at a level corresponding to a 50 percent rating, which is consistent with his current 70 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Knee Patellofemoral Syndrome, Residuals of Right Ankle Fracture, Tinnitus, Thoracic Spine Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19133659
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 19133659.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of jurisdiction.
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