The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for dysthymic disorder prior to September 2, 2016, and an earlier effective date for SMC at the housebound rate was denied. The Board found that there were no symptoms warranting a higher rating or TDIU based solely on dysthymic disorder before September 2, 2016.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Rating Mental Disorders and he was not found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disability prior to September 2, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20070206
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,738 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20070206.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's dysthymic disorder disability was productive of total social and occupational impairment throughout the claim period, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for fibromyalgia and psychiatric disabilities, as well as his entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder, anxiety disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, and dyslexia have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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