The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and PTSD, was denied. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating than the current 50 percent assigned. Additionally, the Veteran's TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities was dismissed as moot because he had already been evaluated at 100% for his combined disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s psychiatric symptomatology from review of the records is most nearly described as manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting no more than the already assigned 50 percent evaluation. A higher evaluation was not warranted due to lack of deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.
- Claimed conditions
- anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19105019
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back pain, knee and wrist joint pains, neck pain, anxiety, depression, as further development is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression and anxiety, based on the evidence showing that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's condition began in service.
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