The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's schizoaffective disorder had its onset during his military service.
The deciding factor: The VHA specialist opined that there was a greater than fifty percent probability that the Veteran's schizoaffective disorder began while he was in military service, and noted his poor level of functioning since leaving the service as evidence supporting this conclusion.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 16, 2009
- Citation
- 0909612
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 180 · Granted: 28% (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 0909612.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, and neurocognitive disorder is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination addressing whether the pre-existing psychiatric disorder was aggravated during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Social Security Administration records need to be obtained and reviewed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial rating of 50% for schizoaffective disorder is increased to 70% from June 22, 2009 to April 30, 2010 and from July 1, 2010 to August 18, 2020. A temporary total disability rating of 100% for hospital treatment due to schizoaffective disorder is granted from March 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU prior to August 18, 2020 is also granted.
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