The Board granted service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and increased the rating for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to 70 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether GAD had its onset in service, and the Veteran's symptoms of anxiety during deployment were found to be an early manifestation of the subsequently diagnosed GAD. For MDD, the Veteran exhibited occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as nervousness, racing thoughts, excessive worry, trouble concentrating, and trouble sleeping.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029915
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include MDD, as secondary to service-connected disabilities due to a duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including a generalized anxiety disorder as the evidence did not support a finding that such condition was incurred in or aggravated by active military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and foot disabilities. The claim for NSC pension benefits was dismissed as moot due to a higher disability rating.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of June 21, 2024, for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD).
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