The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as dysthymic disorder and military sexual trauma, is currently rated at 50 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to insufficient occupational and social impairment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s symptoms do not meet the criteria for an increased rating beyond 50 percent under Diagnostic Code 9411 as her symptoms are consistent with a 50 percent disability rating, including depression, anxiety, suspiciousness, chronic sleep impairment, disturbances of motivation and mood, circumstantial, circumlocutory or stereotyped speech, and difficulties in adapting to stressful circumstances.
- Claimed conditions
- anxiety, depression, dysthymic disorder, military sexual trauma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- April 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19127578
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 19127578.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and denied service connection for a lower back disorder. The claims for depression, substance abuse disorder, and a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss were dismissed.
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