The Board granted service connection for PTSD and an initial 40 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with IVDS, while denying service connection for a left shoulder disability and other conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD, is due to a stressor that credibly occurred during service. The symptoms of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability more closely approximated limitation of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Left shoulder disability, Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Limitation of flexion of the left hip, Limitation of flexion of the right hip, Limitation of extension of the left hip, Limitation of extension of the right hip, Limitation of abduction of the left hip, Limitation of abduction of the right hip, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25027153
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 the Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that his PTSD is related to an in-service military sexual trauma (MST) during a period of ACDUTRA.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
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