The Veteran's PTSD with dysthymic disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective from the date of this decision. The Veteran also received a grant for total disability based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms, including suicidal ideation and impaired impulse control with episodes of unprovoked irritability and periods of violence, most closely approximated the criteria for a 70 percent disability rating under Diagnostic Code 9411. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD also precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with dysthymic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- August 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19160536
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,017 · Granted: 36% (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 19160536.
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 Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 26, 2023 for a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with dysthymic disorder is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's attorney was eligible for payment of fees from past-due benefits awarded in the August 2013 rating decision which granted an increased rating for PTSD with dysthymic disorder and granted TDIU.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD with dysthymic disorder is rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The Board finds that his symptoms warrant this rating and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. Additionally, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities meeting the percentage requirements.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD with dysthymic disorder is currently rated at 30 percent prior to September 9, 2015 and 50 percent from that date. The Board has determined further development is needed due to the lack of recent VA examination and treatment records.
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