The Board has decided that the reduction in the evaluation for PTSD from 70 to 50 percent was not proper. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have included trauma recall and intrusive memories, avoidance, negative cognitive and mood changes, irritability, an exaggerated startle response, worry about work and finances, recurrent difficulty controlling worry, poor concentration, chronic sleep disturbance, verbal impulsivity, suspiciousness, depressed mood, anxiety, near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately, and effectively, impaired judgement, disturbances of motivation, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances (such as work or a work-like setting), inability to establish and maintain effective relationships, obsessional rituals, impaired impulse control, memory problems, angry outbursts, and aggressive behavior. The Board has also decided that the Veteran's PTSD is more than 70 percent disabling and requires a new examination.
The deciding factor: The reduction in the evaluation for PTSD from 70 to 50 percent was not proper based on the evidence of record at the time of the reduction, which did not show an actual improvement in the Veteran’s ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19161011
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,757 · Granted: 23% (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 19161011.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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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