The Board granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent for PTSD with adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, but denied higher ratings for the residuals of a stab wound to the stomach and service connection for gallbladder removal and overactive bladder as secondary to the stab wound. The degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, justifying a 70 percent rating; however, there is no evidence of total occupational and social impairment as required for a higher rating. The service connection claims were denied due to insufficient evidence linking the conditions to the stab wound.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, Residuals of a stab wound to the stomach, Gallbladder removal, Overactive bladder, Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- March 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25026528
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,035 · Granted: 30% (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 A25026528.
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 Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his low back disability is being remanded due to the reduction in evaluation from 40 percent to 20 percent effective May 31, 2014. The RO needs to provide updated VA treatment records and schedule a VA examination to determine the current severity of the disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding the causation and aggravation of her bladder disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical strain with spinal fusion is rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating.
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