The Board denied an increased evaluation for the mental health disability but granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate effective from September 28, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, but she met the requirements for SMC due to her service-connected disabilities affecting her ability to perform activities of daily living and maintain employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 11, 2025
- Citation
- 25002065
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,612 · Granted: 16% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 25002065.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for migraines was denied as the evidence did not show characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.,The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder was also denied, as her symptoms did not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to February 14, 2025, as the evidence did not show that he was precluded from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD alone precludes him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective December 20, 2021.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder, denied a higher rating for reactive airway disorder, and granted service connection for traumatic brain injury.
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