The appeal for service connection for back, headache, sleep disorder, and bilateral foot disabilities was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD prior to January 15, 2020.
The deciding factor: The severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's symptoms for service-connected PTSD more closely approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Claimed conditions
- back disability, headaches, sleep disorder, bilateral foot disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 10, 2024
- Citation
- 24001691
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding VA's failure to provide the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the rating decision.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased initial disability evaluation of headaches due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.