The Veteran's TMJD is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his inter-incisal range of motion.,Prior to January 21, 2021, the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder warrants a 50 percent disability rating due to occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty establishing effective work relationships.,From January 21, 2021, the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder warrants a disability rating in excess of 70 percent due to occupational and social impairment with marked decrease in work efficiency and inability to perform tasks. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his symptoms such as panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.,The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to January 21, 2021 due to service-connected disabilities precluding him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The inter-incisal range of motion for the Veteran's TMJD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it is limited to 21-29 millimeters, which falls within the 20 percent rating category.,The Veteran's symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty establishing effective work relationships are consistent with a 50 percent disability rating under the General Formula for Mental Disorders (General Formula).,From January 21, 2021, the Veteran's symptoms of panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood have caused marked decrease in work efficiency and inability to perform tasks, warranting a higher disability rating.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- TMJD, unspecified depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 3, 2021
- Citation
- 21026670
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 21026670.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's anxiety and depressive disorders were rated at a 70 percent disability rating effective May 6, 2015.,Effective May 6, 2015, the Veteran was granted an earlier effective date for DEA benefits.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current unspecified depressive disorder is related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with insomnia disorder is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is not sufficient to reflect his disability picture.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder is granted, while the claim for PTSD remains denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence and in-service stressor confirmation.
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