The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD to include depressive disorder and generalized anxiety is denied. The claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with tendonitis/tendinosis, unspecified headaches, and allergic rhinitis are granted. Service connection for chronic sinusitis and chronic fatigue syndrome is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 100 percent rating due to his ability to function independently, appropriately, and effectively in most areas of life.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26000208
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 A26000208.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 an effective date prior to December 27, 2019 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no earlier claim document in the claims file and the Veteran did not timely perfect an appeal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the claim was granted and effective from February 22, 2023.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is related to his active-duty service and has granted service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent effective from August 3, 2021. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.
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