The veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, most often diagnosed as a mood disorder not otherwise specified, is currently rated at 70 percent. The evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of this rating.
The deciding factor: The clinical evidence on file consistently shows symptoms that do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 9435 (unspecified mood disorders), including suicidal ideation and obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities, intermittently illogical, obscure or irrelevant speech, near-continuous panic or depression, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, and there are no symptoms of total occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Mood Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 5, 2006
- Citation
- 0600203
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,514 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
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 0600203.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD (previously rated as mood disorder not otherwise specified, also claimed as sleep disturbances).
- Granted
The Veteran's mental health disability, characterized as PTSD with mood disorder not otherwise specified, borderline personality disorder and stimulant use disorder, is now rated at a higher level of 50 percent but no higher. The rating reflects the current severity of her symptoms which result in total occupational and social impairment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and a mood disorder not otherwise specified, has been reopened. The Board also remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed in-service stressors and the need for a new VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including seeking opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disabilities and their relationship to service.
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