The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected Adjustment Disorder with Depression and Ulcerative Colitis were denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran’s symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not cause the level of impairment required for a disability rating of 100 percent as per VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder with Depression, Ulcerative Colitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19178996
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 the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, a higher rating for ulcerative colitis, and service connection for right and left lower extremity RLS, as well as left maxillary sinusitis. The claim for infertility was remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted eligibility for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a March 2024 rating decision, which increased the rating for psychiatric conditions to 70 percent and awarded TDIU.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including Reiter's Syndrome, from December 11, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to adjudicate the Veteran's claim of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a May 2018 rating decision that discontinued a separate evaluation for GERD and included it in the evaluation of ulcerative colitis.
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.