The Veteran's somatoform disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are less severe than those contemplated by a 50 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not demonstrate symptoms more indicative of the next higher, 50 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 9421, such as flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short-and long-term memory; impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbance of motivation and mood.
- Claimed conditions
- somatoform disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2024
- Citation
- 24005918
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 24005918.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the AOJ to adjudicate her claims of CUE regarding the May 2013 and August 2014 rating decisions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and treatment records consideration, requiring further examinations and opinions to determine service connection for psychiatric disorders.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder and somatoform disorder are granted as service connected. The claim for PTSD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for somatoform disorder, finding no evidence of a nexus between her current diagnosis and active duty or as secondary to her service-connected PTSD.
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