The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 14, 2020, for the award of a 70 percent rating for service-connected generalized anxiety and unspecified depressive disorder, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrated that the Veteran's service-connected conditions manifested to approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since January 14, 2020, warranting an earlier effective date for the increased rating. Additionally, the Veteran was found to be prevented from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Unspecified Depressive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25054525
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted a staged disability rating of 70 percent for the service-connected generalized anxiety disorder from January 8, 2024, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the ratings of generalized anxiety disorder, right shoulder strain with AC joint osteoarthritis and AC joint separation, clavicle and/or scapula impairment, and tinnitus.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and multiple musculoskeletal conditions but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
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