The Veteran's dysthymic disorder, which manifests with depressed mood, irritability, impaired impulse control, sleep impairment, panic attacks at least once a week, and homicidal ideation, is currently rated as 50 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the disability picture warrants an increased rating to 70 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's dysthymic disorder meets the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to symptoms including flattened affect, panic attacks more than once a week, and impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence).
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymic disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 30, 2010
- Citation
- 1048474
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 1048474.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder, anxiety disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, and dyslexia have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an increased rating of 70 percent for dysthymic disorder and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability, effective July 31, 2008.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of August 1, 1989 or November 1, 2011 for his service-connected dysthymic disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder has been found to prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.
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