An effective date of January 1, 2022, is granted for a 70 percent rating for PTSD with depression.,An effective date of September 17, 2022, is granted for a 60 percent rating for IHD.,No earlier effective date is granted for the award of a 20 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss.,An effective date of January 11, 2010, but no earlier, is granted for service connection for a surgical scar associated with IHD.,An effective date earlier than August 10, 2022, is denied for service connection for hypertension.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD with depression symptoms approximated a 70 percent disability rating within one year prior to the December 27, 2022, claim.,The Veteran's IHD symptoms approximated a 60 percent disability rating within one year prior to the December 27, 2022, claim.,An increase in bilateral hearing loss did not precede the filing of the claim and occurred after February 14, 2023.,Service connection for the surgical scar associated with IHD arose prior to the filing of the claim on January 11, 2010.,The effective date for service connection for hypertension is August 10, 2022, and was not earlier due to PACT Act considerations.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with depression, Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Surgical Scar associated with IHD, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 5, 2023
- Citation
- A23027728
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 A23027728.
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 bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.