The Veteran's PTSD and depression are currently rated as 70% disabling, but the Board finds that they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection is granted for sleep apnea. The Board finds that the Veteran’s symptoms likely had their onset during service.,Service connection is denied for diabetes mellitus and right leg numbness as there is no evidence of these conditions in service records, and they are not related to service.,The Veteran's hypertension was diagnosed after his period of active duty service. The Board finds that the VA examiner’s opinion is inadequate due to a lack of contemporaneous medical records.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD and depression do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating as they do not result in total social and occupational impairment.,Service connection is granted because the Veteran has chronic symptoms that are likely related to service, despite the VA examiner’s opinion based solely on the timing of his diagnosis.,Service connection is denied due to lack of evidence of diabetes mellitus or right leg numbness during service and insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to service.,The VA examiner's opinion is inadequate as it does not consider the Veteran's high blood pressure readings prior to 2009, which occurred during his period of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depression, Sleep Apnea, Diabetes Mellitus, Right Leg Numbness
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20011527
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 20011527.
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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.