The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression is granted at a 70 percent rating since April 23, 2012. The claim for increased ratings and TDIU prior to April 23, 2012, are denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows occupational and social impairment due to deficiencies in most areas, including work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, with symptoms such as suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, unprovoked irritability with periods of violence, difficulty establishing effective relationships, and inability to maintain personal hygiene.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) at L4-L5
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- November 22, 2022
- Citation
- 22065401
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 22065401.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied as no indication of intent to apply prior to November 26, 2014 was found.,Service connection for asthma (claimed as a lung inhalational injury) is granted based on the onset during service and continued since then.,The Veteran's TBI claim requires clarification due to insufficient rationale in the August 2017 VA examination report.,A new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of the low back disability (DDD at L4-L5).,Left wrist and left shoulder conditions require a new VA examination for proper assessment.,Hypertension, gastroenteritis, and sleep apnea are remanded issues as no specific service connection theory or exposure basis is provided.,Service connection for asthma (claimed as a lung inhalational injury) is granted based on the onset during service and continued since then.
- Denied
The Veteran's low back strain with DJD and DDD at L4-L5 was denied for increased evaluations in both periods.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's DDD at L4-L5 approximates mild but not intervertebral disc syndrome prior to January 31, 2003, and moderate but not greater intervertebral disc syndrome with recurring attacks after January 31, 2003. The veteran was assigned a 20 percent rating for his DDD at L4-L5 effective from January 31, 2003.
- Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a comprehensive VA examination to determine the current manifestations of his service-connected degenerative disc disease at L4-L5, as well as neurological impairment.
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