The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for generalized anxiety disorder as the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed mild or transient symptoms which decreased work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, while the private DBQ reported more severe symptoms that were attributed to a specific context (abuse from his then-girlfriend).
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25050737
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including a generalized anxiety disorder as the evidence did not support a finding that such condition was incurred in or aggravated by active military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and foot disabilities. The claim for NSC pension benefits was dismissed as moot due to a higher disability rating.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability from March 8, 2010, to May 19, 2014, and denied a higher rating thereafter.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including GAD, MDD, unspecified depressive disorder, and panic disorder.
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