The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied. The Board finds that December 5, 2022, when the Veteran filed his intent to file a claim, is the correct date for the award of service connection for PTSD. For the initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, the Veteran's symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the grant of service connection was determined to be December 5, 2022, based on the date the Veteran filed his intent to file a claim within one year of that date. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not warrant an increased disability rating beyond 50 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 14, 2026
- Citation
- A26003349
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 A26003349.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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