The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression and explosive disorder has been granted. The Board found that the evidence was sufficient to reopen his previously denied claims, and that his psychiatric disorders are related to service. However, the issue of individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating decision.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's new and material evidence established a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim for service connection, and his testimony was credible enough to support an alternate theory of entitlement. The Board found that his psychiatric disorders are related to service due to his competent, credible testimony about their onset in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depression, Explosive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19126989
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, anxiety disorder, and major depression.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor based on a corroborated in-service stressor event.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 20, 2007 for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and increased ratings to 70% from March 27, 2020 to June 5, 2020, and 100% from June 5, 2020. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability was denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the Veteran's January 2022 VA Form 10182, which resulted from a prohibited concurrent election under VA claims processing rules.
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