The Veteran's service-connected GAD has not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, but his symptoms have caused significant functional impairment. The rating of 70% is maintained.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s anxiety and agoraphobia have led to reduced reliability and productivity, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they do not result in total occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Agoraphobia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19145332
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including a generalized anxiety disorder as the evidence did not support a finding that such condition was incurred in or aggravated by active military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and foot disabilities. The claim for NSC pension benefits was dismissed as moot due to a higher disability rating.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability from March 8, 2010, to May 19, 2014, and denied a higher rating thereafter.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including GAD, MDD, unspecified depressive disorder, and panic disorder.
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.