The Board denied service connection for a back disability and denied initial ratings in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to May 21, 2012. The Veteran's claims were also remanded for further action on issues related to sciatica and TDIU.,For the period from May 21, 2012 onwards, the Veteran was denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support finding that the Veteran's back disability began during service or was related to an in-service injury.,The severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran’s PTSD symptoms prior to May 21, 2012 did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- back disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071790
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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