The veteran's mixed anxiety and depression are rated at 70 percent, but his unemployability due to service-connected disability is denied.
The deciding factor: VA determined that the veteran's psychiatric condition does not meet the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability as he has substantial educational background and occupational experience which do not render him unable to obtain and retain all kinds of substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- mixed anxiety and depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- May 2, 2003
- Citation
- 0308373
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0308373.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (excluding PTSD) is denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis and insufficient link between the claimed in-service stressor and current symptoms.,Service connection for PTSD is denied. The Veteran did not meet all criteria, including credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred.,Service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, cervical degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and bilateral hip disability are all denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for service-connected adjustment disorder and a higher evaluation for his low back disorder were denied. The Veteran's adjustment disorder is rated at 70 percent disabling, while his low back disorder remains at 40 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board hearing. The initial rating of 10 percent for adjustment disorder, with mixed anxiety and depression, remains unchanged.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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