The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for service connection of Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Depression, Mood Disorder, and Insomnia was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 70 percent or an earlier effective date.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed occupational and social impairment but no total occupational and social impairment, which is required for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Mood Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- A19002019
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma, back disability (secondary to multiple myeloma), and depression, with an effective date of January 26, 2021. The decision also remanded claims related to breast cancer, DEA benefits, and initial ratings.
- Denied
The veteran's bad conduct discharge precludes eligibility for VA benefits, including compensation and healthcare.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and personality disorder, due to the need for further development of the record.
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