The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive and psychotic conditions, are best characterized as having developed in service due to head trauma. The benefit of doubt is afforded to the Veteran, warranting service connection for these conditions.
The deciding factor: Service records document mental health difficulties including depression, suicidal ideation, nightmares, and intolerance of present circumstances, which were attributed to 'immature personality disorder' despite a history of in-service head trauma and prescribed anti-psychotic medications. Post-service treatment records continue to reflect psychiatric symptoms supportive of these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder NOS, Psychotic Disorder NOS
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2013
- Citation
- 1343447
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 1343447.
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 readjudication of the previously denied claim for service connection for PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, but denied a compensable disability rating for left ring finger ankylosis at proximal interphalangeal joint. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of November 3, 2010, for the award of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of February 1, 1993, for service connection due to PTSD with depressive disorder NOS and anxiety disorder NOS based on a finding of no clear and unmistakable error in the August 1993 rating decision.
- Granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder NOS is rated at 70 percent, effective from December 29, 2010. The Board also granted TDIU based on the service-connected disabilities rendering him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.
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