The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 30, 2013 for service connection of PTSD with MDD, anxiety, and insomnia is granted.,A compensable disability rating of 10 percent is granted for deep and non-linear gunshot wound scars of the anterior chest and trunk from September 18, 2013 to September 20, 2018.,A disability rating in excess of 20 percent is denied for deep and non-linear gunshot wound scars of the anterior chest and trunk from September 20, 2018 onwards.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for linear scars of the right knee and anterior trunk is denied.
The deciding factor: The effective date was determined to be September 18, 2013 based on the informal claim filed by the Veteran within one year of his formal claim.,The Veteran's deep and non-linear gunshot wound scars were rated at 10 percent prior to September 20, 2018 due to their size (less than 6 square inches).,From September 20, 2018 onwards, the Veteran's scars became unstable and painful, warranting a 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's linear scars of the right knee and anterior trunk do not meet the criteria for any compensable disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), anxiety, and insomnia, Painful deep and non-linear gunshot wound scars of the anterior chest and trunk prior to September 20, 2018, Painful and unstable deep and non-linear gunshot wound scars of the anterior chest and trunk from September 20, 2018 onwards
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 30, 2023
- Citation
- 23019671
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 23019671.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
- 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.
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