The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 12, 2021, for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and alcohol use disorder, but denied a rating in excess of 70 percent from June 20, 2023, for these conditions. The Board also granted an earlier effective date for service connection for superficial pustular cystic acne and acne scarring.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's continuous pursuit of his claims and the favorable findings by the AOJ led to the granting of earlier effective dates for PTSD, major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and alcohol use disorder. However, the evidence did not support a higher rating for these conditions from June 20, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD), Major depressive disorder with anxious distress, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Superficial pustular cystic acne and acne scarring
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25048267
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 828 · Granted: 42% (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 A25048267.
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 is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a contradiction in the AOJ's determinations regarding the Veteran's need for aid and assistance, which requires clarification. The remanded issues are entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another and on the basis of statutory housebound status.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased rating and earlier effective date for PTSD have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal.
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