The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, the highest possible rating under DC 9400. His muscle disability in the neck with retained foreign body remains at a 10 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The veteran's symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder meet the criteria for a 70 percent evaluation based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, as evidenced by his GAF score decrease from 60 to 50. His muscle disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 5323.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Muscle Disability (neck, with retained foreign body)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 17, 2006
- Citation
- 0620703
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 0620703.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted a staged disability rating of 70 percent for the service-connected generalized anxiety disorder from January 8, 2024, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the ratings of generalized anxiety disorder, right shoulder strain with AC joint osteoarthritis and AC joint separation, clavicle and/or scapula impairment, and tinnitus.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and multiple musculoskeletal conditions but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
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