The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for the period on appeal prior to July 22, 2020, for major depressive disorder, PTSD and panic disorder without agoraphobia (psychiatric disability) but denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for psychiatric disability at any time during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's psychiatric disability symptoms more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas than reduced reliability and productivity throughout the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Panic disorder without agoraphobia, Pseudofolliculitis barbae, with eczematous dermatitis, tinea cruris, tinea pedis, vitiligo
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 9, 2025
- Citation
- 25008959
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 25008959.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, as secondary to his already service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service harassment. Service connection was denied for a binge eating disorder as there is no evidence of such a condition.
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