The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral hip disability was dismissed. The Veteran's PTSD is granted with an initial rating of 50%. His neck and right shoulder disabilities are remanded, as well as his claim for increased rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the bilateral hip disability in December 2017. The Board found that the Veteran’s PTSD warranted a higher rating based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. His neck and right shoulder disabilities are remanded due to lack of recent medical examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hip Disability, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Neck Disability, Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), Right Shoulder Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 22, 2021
- Citation
- 21024124
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 21024124.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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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