The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with polysubstance use disorder was denied. The Board also found that the criteria were met for entitlement to a TDIU, due to service-connected PTSD, and granted SMC at the housebound rate.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet or approximate the level of impairment required for a higher disability rating (100 percent) as his occupational and social impairment was found to be with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood. The VA examiners noted significant difficulty accepting supervision or receiving instructions without becoming angry, which caused problems in previous employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 19, 2026
- Citation
- A26015205
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 A26015205.
What this means for you
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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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