The Board granted restoration of a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder with inhalant use disorder and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, while dismissing the appeal for recurrent high blood pressure as untimely appealed and denying service connection for vitamin B12 deficiency and PTSD.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the evidence of record indicating that the Veteran's vitamin B-12 deficiency is a laboratory finding not indicative of an actual disability, and his nitrous oxide abuse is due to willful misconduct. The reduction in the evaluation of major depressive disorder from 70 percent to 50 percent was found improper.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertensive vascular disease (recurrent high blood pressure), vitamin B12 deficiency, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD) with inhalant use disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25052547
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal for an increased rating of his service-connected PTSD during a Board hearing, and the appeal is therefore dismissed.
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