The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including unspecified depression disorder and anxiety disorder with alcohol abuse, was found to be more severe than the current assigned rating of 50 percent prior to December 27, 2017. The Board granted a higher initial evaluation of 70 percent for this period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms, including mood swings, anger outbursts, panic attacks, and difficulty in adapting to stressful situations, more closely approximated the criteria required for an initial 70 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depression disorder, anxiety disorder with alcohol abuse
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19135480
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,071 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19135480.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal regarding an increased rating for unspecified depression disorder has been withdrawn by the appellant through her authorized representative.
- Granted
The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is granted service connection, but his post-traumatic stress disorder claim is denied.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's unspecified depression disorder is etiologically related to his military service in Vietnam, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including adjustment disorder and unspecified depression disorder, as secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.
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.