The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, degenerative arthritis of the spine (degenerative arthritis of thoracolumbar spine and spondylolisthesis status post hemi-laminotomy)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2024
- Citation
- A24069886
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal for further development, including obtaining additional evidence and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to assess the appellant's mental state leading up to his discharge from service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis and a 20 percent rating for right sciatic radiculopathy, but denied higher ratings for left sciatic radiculopathy, chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), service connection for chronic sinusitis, pain of the right knee, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted an initial rating of 70 percent for acquired psychiatric disabilities, to include chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood and insomnia disorder, effective October 16, 2023.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the claim for reassessment of service connection for a psychiatric disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.