Case 25014217: PTSD

DecisionVeterans-appeals decision document (court public records) · November 20, 2025 · REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION

Outcome
Granted / Vacated
Decision Date
November 20, 2025
Judge
REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION
Service Era
Not specified

Conditions Claimed

PTSDDepressionAnxietyPsychiatricBackHipRadiculopathy

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

PTSDDepressionAnxietyPsychiatricBackHipRadiculopathy

Why It Was Decided This Way

The effective date of an award based upon receipt of new and material evidence after a final disallowance will be the date of receipt of the new claim or the date entitlement arose, whichever is later.

156(c), as in effect prior to October 6, 2006, stated that if a supplemental report from the service department comprises new and material evidence and is received by VA before or after the decision has become final, the former decision will be reconsidered by the adjudicating agency of original jurisdiction.

The Veteran appealed and in January 1996, the Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD.

In reopening the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, the Board noted that post service records contained diagnoses of other psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, but it acknowledged that none of the newly received evidence contained evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD related to the Veteran's military service.

In January 2011, the Board denied the claim for entitlement to service connection for PTSD and referred the issue of whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia.

ult of the same firefight that resulted in his trauma-related symptomology She stated that a common nexus of connection was apparent between the Veteran's military service and his two acute clinical disorders, which were inseparable She found that the Veteran s symptoms of PTSD and schizophrenia began during his military service.

The Board noted that the Veteran participated in combat in Vietnam in which casualties have been confirmed.

Ultimately, the Board gave the Veteran the benefit of the doubt regarding the conflicting evidence as to whether he may be diagnosed with PTSD or schizophrenia and whether a psychiatric disorder was related to service.

Authorities Cited

Blubaugh v. McBrannon v. WestCline v. ShinsekiDyment v. WestLalonde v. WestLeonard v. PrincipiSears v. PrincipiSee Arneson v. ShinsekiSee Hickson v. WestShipley v. ShinsekiVigil v. Peake

Regulations Cited (38 CFR / 38 USC)

38 CFR 20.110038 CFR 20.130338 CFR 3.1(p)38 CFR 3.1(r)38 CFR 3.15638 CFR 3.156 (c)38 CFR 3.156(c)38 CFR 3.156(c) (2005)38 CFR 3.40038 CFR 3.400(q)(2)38 USC 115438 USC 511038 USC 5110(a)38 USC 5110(b)(3)38 USC 7104

Denial Type

No Nexus|Not New Material

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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.