BVA Case 25002467: PTSD

BVAReal Board of Veterans' Appeals decision · February 20, 2025 · Jennifer White

Outcome
Denied
Decision Date
February 20, 2025
Judge
Jennifer White
Service Era
Not specified

Conditions Claimed

PTSDAnxietyPsychiatricBackCervicalKneeHipAnkleSkinTDIU

What would this rating pay you? (2026 rates)

Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.

per month ·  per year, tax-free

Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.

2026 base rates, all ratings (veteran alone)
RatingMonthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA)
10%$180.42
20%$356.66
30%$552.47
40%$795.84
50%$1,132.90
60%$1,435.02
70%$1,808.45
80%$2,102.15
90%$2,362.30
100%$3,938.58
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Issues on Appeal

PTSDAnxietyPsychiatricBackCervicalKneeHipAnkle

Why It Was Decided This Way

Thus, the Board finds that VA has satisfied the duty to assist.

No further notice or assistance to the Veteran is required to fulfill VA's duty to assist in development.

Service connection for a disability requires evidence of: (1) a current disability; (2) a disease or injury in service, and; (3) a relationship or nexus between the current disability and any injury or disease during service.

VA shall consider all information and lay and medical evidence of record in a case and when there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding any issue material to the determination of a matter, VA shall give the benefit of the doubt to the claimant.

The examiner stated that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees is not related to service.

The Board will first address whether the evidence establishes that bilateral knee arthritis was shown to be chronic in service and that a nexus exists between his present diagnoses and in-service symptomatology.

In doing so, the Board must assess not only competency of the Veteran's statements, but also their credibility.

In weighing credibility, VA may consider interest, bias, inconsistent statements, bad character, internal inconsistency, facial plausibility, self-interest, consistency with other evidence of record, malingering, desire for monetary gain, and demeanor of the witness.

Authorities Cited

Aires v. PeakeBuchanan v. NicholsonDela Cruz v. PrincipiDowell v. ShinsekiDyment v. WestFaust v. WestHatlestad v. BrownLendon v. NicholsonLynch v. McQuartuccio v. PrincipiRodriguez v. PeakeSavage v. GoberSee Beaty v. BrownSee Buchanan v. NicholsonSee Caluza v. BrownSee Jandreau v. NicholsonSee King v. ShinsekiSee Pederson v. McSee Rucker v. BrownSee Stegall v. WestSee Withers v. WilkieShedden v. PrincipiSmith v. GoberStefl v. NicholsonWalker v. ShinsekiWood v. Derwinski

Regulations Cited (38 CFR / 38 USC)

38 CFR 20.130338 CFR 3.10238 CFR 3.30338 CFR 3.303(a)38 CFR 3.303(d)38 CFR 3.309(a)38 CFR 3.34038 CFR 3.34138 CFR 4.138 CFR 4.1638 CFR 4.16(a)38 CFR 4.338 USC 110138 USC 111038 USC 113138 USC 115538 USC 510738 USC 5107(b)

Denial Type

Credibility|No Nexus|Not Service Connected|Duty To Assist

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Referral disclosure: VetAid earns a referral fee if you become a paying REE Medical client through this link — it helps keep this site free. REE Medical provides paid medical evidence; it is not a law firm, VSO, or claims agent, and VetAid has not independently verified its services. VSOs and VA-accredited representatives will help you file your claim at no cost, and no one can guarantee a rating increase.