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"Acquired psychiatric disorder" is not one single illness. It is an umbrella term for mental health conditions a person develops (rather than is born with), and the VA rates these together as "mental disorders." The VA's list of recognized conditions in this group runs from diagnostic code 9201 through 9440, and it includes things like generalized anxiety disorder (9400), PTSD (9411), panic disorder (9412), bipolar disorder (9432), persistent depressive disorder/dysthymia (9433), major depressive disorder (9434), and chronic adjustment disorder (9440). The VA requires that the diagnosis follow the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5; if a claimed diagnosis does not match the DSM-5 or is not supported by the exam findings, the rating office sends the report back to the examiner to fix it.
Because this is a category and not a single code, there is no one diagnostic code for "acquired psychiatric disorder." Whatever the exact diagnosis, the VA uses the same General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (codes 9201–9440), which assigns 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100 percent. What drives the percentage is how much the condition causes occupational and social impairment (trouble working and getting along with others), not just the name of the diagnosis. For example, 100 percent reflects total occupational and social impairment; 70 percent reflects deficiencies in most areas such as work, family, judgment, and mood; 50 percent reflects reduced reliability and productivity; and 30 percent reflects an occasional decrease in work efficiency. The VA is supposed to look at the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms across all the evidence, not only how a veteran appeared at a single exam.
To be service-connected, the evidence generally has to show the condition began (or was made worse) during service, or is otherwise linked to service. The VA says service connection means the facts show the disease or injury was incurred during military service, or if it existed before, was aggravated by service, and the agency is directed to weigh all the medical and lay evidence under a broad and liberal reading of the law. Most psychiatric conditions are established this way (a direct link to service) rather than through an automatic "presumptive" exposure pathway, so a current diagnosis, an in-service event, and a medical link tying the two together are typically central. If one diagnosis is later changed to another (for example, an anxiety diagnosis changed to a depressive one), the VA has rules for handling that change rather than simply starting over.
A denial is a starting point, not the end — veterans have appeal options, and a claim can be refiled or supported with more evidence. This is general educational information about how the VA's rules work, not legal advice and not a VA decision about any individual claim.
Grounded in federal regulations and VA guidance, independently reviewed June 2026. Educational information, not legal advice or a VA determination.
Across 63,264 real Board appeals for Acquired psychiatric disorder
A denial is often not the end either — remands (shown below) are sent back for more development and can still end in a grant. These are historical outcomes, not a prediction of your case.
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Among the appeals that were granted or partly granted, the most common ways Acquired psychiatric disorder was linked to service:
In appeals where Acquired psychiatric disorder was the only condition decided and the Board granted it, the rating most often assigned was:
These appeals involved a recognized exposure — which can mean the link to service is presumed, with no nexus to prove:
The Veteran's migraines and fibromyalgia are presumed to have been caused by exposure to fine, particulate matter in Southwest Asia. The bilateral knee condition is at least as likely as not related to service. The low back disability is also at least as likely as not related to service. The bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy is at least as likely as not related to the service-connected low back disability. The acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety) is at least as likely as not related to service.,The Veteran's traumatic brain injury and cervical spine disabilities are remanded due to a lack of a VA examination.
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, and depressive disorder due to another medical condition, is granted as service-connected. The left shoulder and lower back conditions are remanded for further examination.
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) has been granted service connection, with the in-service stressor involving a hit on the head during Octoberfest. Headaches have also been granted an initial 30 percent rating based on characteristic prostrating attacks occurring once per month.,Service connection for traumatic brain injury and neck disability is pending as remanded issues.
The Board has granted the claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), finding that new and relevant evidence supports these claims.
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, as secondary to his already service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
Jump to the decisions from a specific year.
New decisions are added every week, and older years are actively being backfilled — a year that looks thin or missing here (especially 2011–2017) is a gap in our library, not in the Board’s decisions.
Veterans appealing Acquired psychiatric disorder often look at outcomes for these too:
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.