The Veteran's application to reopen claims for PTSD, a low back disorder, and bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claim of service connection for PTSD is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the prior final denial. The claims for a low back disorder and bilateral hearing loss are not reopened as the new evidence does not relate to an unestablished element of the claim.
The deciding factor: The new evidence includes VA medical records showing multiple psychiatric diagnoses, in-service stressors described by the Veteran, and correspondence describing in-service incidents. The evidence is sufficient to reopen the PTSD claim but insufficient to reopen the low back disorder or bilateral hearing loss claims as these elements were already established at the time of the prior final denial.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Acquired Psychiatric Disorders, Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2023
- Citation
- 23005977
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 23005977.
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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