The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and alcohol abuse disorder are granted service connection. Bilateral elbow disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are denied.
The deciding factor: Medical opinions supported the claims for acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and alcohol use disorder as secondary to service-connected conditions. The denial of other disorders was based on lack of current diagnoses or recent to filing evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), Alcohol abuse disorder, Bilateral elbow disorder, Bilateral knee disorder, Lumbar spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20066911
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 Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disorder, and a lumbar spine disorder.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 1, 2015, and from January 10, 2017, as well as an effective date earlier than July 1, 2015, for the award of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
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