The Board denied a higher disability rating for PTSD with MDD and insomnia, but granted TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment for PTSD or criteria warranting a 100 percent disability rating for COPD with emphysema. However, the Veteran was found unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with Emphysema, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Insomnia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25009646
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (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 A25009646.
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 bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, as he did not have a hearing loss disability at separation and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure. The Board finds the weight of probative evidence against a finding that the current hearing loss is related to service.,The Veteran's COPD with emphysema is not related to his service or Agent Orange exposure, as he did not have any respiratory condition other than COPD at separation and there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board finds the weight of probative evidence against a finding that the current COPD is related to service.
- Denied
The veteran's claims for increased ratings for COPD with emphysema, epididymitis of the left testicle, and cholecystectomy were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating criteria.
- 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.
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.