The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is not service-connected. The TBI residuals are rated at 40 percent, which is the highest rating available under VA guidelines. The Veteran has been granted a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his military service or any service-connected disability, including his TBI residuals.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include depression and anxiety)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20024562
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20024562.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claims for specific phobia, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and anxiety), left knee degenerative joint disease, bilateral hip condition as secondary to back disability, rating in excess of 20 percent for specific phobia, rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are all granted. The effective date for the grant of service connection for specific phobia is set at December 27, 2015.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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