A rating of 70 percent for PTSD prior to March 1, 2019 is granted. A rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine as of July 18, 2016, and prior to September 22, 2016, is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD was manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks that occurred weekly or less often, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, flattened affect, gross impairment in thought process or communication, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships, inability to establish effective relationships, obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities, persistent delusions or hallucinations, persistent danger of hurting self or others, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, and intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2021
- Citation
- 21071726
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 21071726.
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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