The Board denied an increased disability rating for the veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder, finding that the current 30 percent evaluation accurately reflected the severity of his condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show symptoms severe enough to warrant a higher rating under the criteria for mental disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0900378
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,013 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0900378.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the March 2025 decision denying eligibility for PCAFC benefits is legally inadequate and remands the case to allow for a new medical determination considering all relevant evidence, including the Veteran's conditions and functional ability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ must request that the Veteran be scheduled for an examination to determine the probable nature and etiology of his diagnosed acquired psychiatric disability.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and a higher rating for adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, Bipolar I disorder, major depressive disorder, insomnia, depression, and PTSD, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.