The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety, depression, severe alcohol use disorder and moderate cocaine use disorder due to military sexual trauma (MST), and granted increased ratings for certain service-connected disabilities. The claim for dizziness was dismissed, as was the entitlement to a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on credible evidence of in-service stressors and medical evidence linking current symptoms to those events, along with new and relevant evidence supporting readjudication of previously denied claims.
- Claimed conditions
- dizziness, depression, anxiety, severe alcohol use, stimulant and cannabis disorder, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, skin condition of the face and neck, skin condition of the bilateral arms, PTSD (due to military sexual trauma), migraine headaches associated with TBI, IVDS with degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, IVDS with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy, right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25040712
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 claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA, but denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
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.