The Board granted an increased rating of 70 percent for major depressive disorder (MDD), recurrent, with unspecified anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder from February 27, 2023, but denied a higher rating. The service connection for mixed anxiety disorder was dismissed.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's migraines did not meet the criteria for a 50 percent rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. The psychiatric disability met the criteria for a 70 percent rating prior to February 27, 2023, but not after.
- Claimed conditions
- mixed anxiety disorder, migraine including migraine variants, major depressive disorder (MDD), recurrent, with unspecified anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25030571
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 32% (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 A25030571.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected migraine including migraine variants was increased from a 10 percent to a 30 percent rating effective September 23, 2023. The appellant is eligible for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the June 2024 rating decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for his migraine including migraine variant condition was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks.
- Granted
The Board has granted an initial 50 percent rating for migraine including migraine variants, effective from September 30, 2021. The appeal regarding a TDIU is being remanded.
- Dismissed
The appeal for neck pain pinched nerve severe arthritis cervical spine is dismissed as a matter of law. Service connection and increased ratings are granted for major depression, mental disorder anxiety and PTSD, carpal tunnel syndrome (both wrists), and migraine including migraine variants.
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