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
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressive features and generalized anxiety disorder, denied a higher rating for his migraine including migraine variants, and denied ratings for other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include major depressive disorder (MDD), due to several pre-decisional duty to assist omissions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, MDD, and alcohol use disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and tinnitus.
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.