The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available. The Board denied an increased rating as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s psychiatric disability primarily manifested by ongoing sleep impairment and intrusive thoughts, leading to occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms only during periods of significant stress.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20005092
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause him to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, thus granting special monthly compensation.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of November 8, 2022, for the assignment of a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, and mild recurrent major depressive disorder, due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, as the severity, frequency, and duration of the symptoms associated with the condition most closely approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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