The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and panic disorder is granted a 100 percent disability rating. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea (claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD and/or back disability) is remanded. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to June 10, 2015 is dismissed due to the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD. The issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with spondylolisthesis and right knee medial femoral chondromalacia status post tibial osteotomy are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD warrants a 100% schedular rating throughout the entire period of the claim due to significant impairment in all areas of life functioning, including work, school, social relationships, judgment, and mood. The grant of a 100% rating for PTSD renders moot the issue of entitlement to TDIU.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Insomnia, Sleep Apnea
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19177560
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,077 · Granted: 25% (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 19177560.
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 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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