Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Granted

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks (also claimed as PTSD), is currently rated at 50 percent. The symptoms include frequent panic attacks and difficulties in maintaining social and occupational relationships.

The deciding factor: The evidence shows moderate psychological impairment that meets the criteria for a 50 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 9400, which requires occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective relationships.

Claimed conditions
Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Panic Attacks (also claimed as PTSD)
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
50%
Decision date
December 29, 2015
Citation
1554118

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 1554118.

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.

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.