The Veteran's claim for PTSD and bipolar I disorder was reopened due to new evidence, and the effective date of service connection is set at January 6, 2008. The Board found that the Veteran did not timely receive the October 2009 SOC due to circumstances outside his control (homelessness and psychiatric hospitalizations).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new evidence received in December 2010, which included a history of homelessness and psychiatric hospitalizations. The Board found that these circumstances disrupted the Veteran's opportunity to receive the October 2009 SOC.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar I Disorder, unspecified
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20055778
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 20055778.
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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