The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder prior to July 20, 2023, but granted a 30 percent rating for hiatal hernia with GERD and herpes simplex 1 esophagitis.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, while his hiatal hernia with GERD and herpes simplex 1 esophagitis met the criteria for a 30 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and herpes simplex 1 esophagitis, unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2025
- Citation
- A25034729
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (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 A25034729.
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 Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, assigning October 12, 2022 as the earliest possible effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date and a higher rating for the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, as well as remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder was denied. The disability is currently rated at 30 percent, effective July 28, 2016.
- Granted
The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective December 2, 2014. The Board found that the symptoms more nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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