The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder and insomnia prior to September 18, 2017, is denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent since September 18, 2017, is also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms do not more closely approximate the level of impairment required for higher ratings based on the criteria provided by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified anxiety disorder, insomnia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- June 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19143563
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 asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's award of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective from April 15, 2017, solely based on his unspecified anxiety disorder. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for insomnia as the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of chronic insomnia independent of her service-connected major depressive disorder.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.