The Veteran's bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, as well as PTSD, are all granted due to their relationship with active service.,Service connection is established for arthritis of the left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle. Additionally, PTSD related to military sexual trauma (MST) is also granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's VA treatment records confirm her current diagnoses of bilateral knee and ankle conditions as well as PTSD. Her reports of symptoms during service are credible, and a VA examiner provided an opinion linking these conditions to active service.,There was no in-service diagnosis or treatment for the respiratory condition, but the absence of such evidence does not necessarily disprove its existence.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Knee Arthritis, Right Knee Arthritis, Left Ankle Arthritis, Right Ankle Arthritis, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2022
- Citation
- 22060771
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 22060771.
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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