The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and PTSD, results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood. The Board denied a rating higher than 70 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s symptoms combined to result in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70% rating but not higher.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, PTSD (with panic disorder), Anxiety disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19150641
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.
- Granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, currently diagnosed as other specified trauma and stressor related disorder and major depressive disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) but denied service connection for PTSD and a higher rating for the unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder/major depressive disorder/insomnia.
- Denied
The Board denied an effective date earlier than April 9, 2024, for the assignment of a 70 percent evaluation for insomnia disorder with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder.
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