The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, associated with prostate cancer status post radical prostatectomy, is granted a 50 percent disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms most closely approximated those of a 50 percent rating due to disturbances of motivation and mood, including anger, depression, and irritability on a regular basis. The loss of sexual function after prostate surgery significantly impacted his sense of self and relationships.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- December 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19194154
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19194154.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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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.
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The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with alcohol and cocaine use disorder was granted an increased initial rating of 100 percent, the schedular maximum. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 24, 2023 for the now-assigned 100 percent rating for PTSD was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and multiple musculoskeletal conditions but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a rating of 70 percent for PTSD from September 19, 2016, to May 30, 2019, and from August 1, 2019.
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