The Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, as secondary to PTSD, was granted. The claim of entitlement to an initial disability rating greater than 30 percent for service-connected adjustment disorder is denied. The claim of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded. The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, as secondary to a service-connected disability, was granted. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for asthma with emphysema and recurrent pneumonia prior to July 3, 2018, remains pending.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided new evidence suggesting his gastrointestinal disorder may be related to PTSD, which led to the reopening of the service connection claim. The adjustment disorder claim was denied as there is no current disability meeting the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Erectile Dysfunction, Adjustment Disorder, Asthma with emphysema and recurrent pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19149294
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,196 · Granted: 17% (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 19149294.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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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