The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has been found capable of securing and maintaining employment in either the physical or sedentary sectors due to his dysthymic disorder, which does not prevent him from performing the required mental acts for employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Dysthymic Disorder, Degenerative Disc Disease of Lumbar Spine, Radiculopathy of Left Lower Extremity, Radiculopathy of Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 2, 2014
- Citation
- 1414375
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 1414375.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with adjustment disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, effective May 23, 2025. Prior to this date, the Veteran's claim was denied due to insufficient evidence of an in-service stressor.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder(s).
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and dysthymic disorder, are granted as at least as likely as not related to in-service military sexual trauma (MSTs). The claim for a sleep disorder is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 50 percent for generalized anxiety disorder from March 1, 2023 was granted. The effective date remains pending as the earlier effective date request is separate and distinct.
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