The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and prostate cancer are granted. The Board found that the Veteran experienced an in-service stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, which supports a diagnosis of PTSD. Additionally, the Veteran was presumed exposed to herbicide agents (including Agent Orange) during his service in Vietnam, leading to presumptive service connection for prostate cancer.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's reports of exposure to hostile military activity and service in Vietnam were credible, allowing for a finding of service connection based on both the PTSD stressor and presumed exposure to herbicide agents.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Prostate Cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21006673
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 21006673.
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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