The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including persistent depressive disorder, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, alcohol use disorder, and a sleep disorder, was found to have manifested with symptoms such as chronic sleep impairment and irritability when not well-rested. The preponderance of the evidence did not support an increased rating beyond 30 percent prior to September 4, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's mental health condition resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, but without symptoms such as flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty understanding complex commands; impaired judgment; or impaired abstract thinking.
- Claimed conditions
- Persistent Depressive Disorder, Other specified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, Sleep Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- August 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20056796
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 20056796.
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 Veteran's PTSD is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity in Vietnam, and his alcohol use disorder is due to his PTSD. Service connection for PTSD with alcohol use disorder has been granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder was denied, and he was granted a TDIU. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a 100% disability rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress was granted, effective January 17, 2024. The Board has now granted an earlier effective date of May 31, 2019.
- Granted
The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under the General Formula for Mental Disorders. The other issues have been denied.
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