The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for unspecified depressive disorder with insomnia and traumatic brain injury associated with multiple sclerosis was denied. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher than 50 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms, while significant, do not meet the criteria for a 70 or 100 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Unspecified depressive disorder with insomnia, Traumatic brain injury, Multiple sclerosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2023
- Citation
- A23034483
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 A23034483.
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 claim for an earlier effective date of July 10, 2010, for the award of special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance due to residuals of traumatic brain injury under 38 U.S.C. 1114(t) is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied an increased rating for right knee patellar tendinitis and has remanded the issue of service connection for a traumatic brain injury.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are granted as of August 8, 2020 due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder preventing him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and granted service connection for right elbow olecranon bursitis. The Veteran's TBI is not considered to be related to an in-service fall, while his right elbow disability is found to have had its onset during service.
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