The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, denied an earlier effective date for service connection, and granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks, chronic sleep impairment, impaired judgment, difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, and suicidal ideation more closely approximated the criteria for a 70 percent rating; however, there was no evidence to support a higher or lower rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder with anxious distress
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 27, 2025
- Citation
- A25055771
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 100 percent rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress, an effective date of January 2, 2024, for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), and Special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate from the same date. The appeal seeking entitlement to a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) was dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of an increased rating for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's social and occupational history.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an earlier effective date was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the Veteran's election of administrative review options.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder with anxious distress, finding the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated a 70 percent rating.
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