The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the 38 U.S.C. 1114(s) rate, as the evidence did not support that her service-connected adjustment disorder with depressed mood alone rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms and their effects did not rise to the level of severity or frequency so as to support an award of TDIU based solely on her adjustment disorder with depressed mood, considering her education, long-term employment history, and extensive experience in an administrative capacity.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25056377
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, but denied service connection for sinusitis. The Board also granted initial ratings of 20%, 30%, and 70% for right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, respectively.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 30, 2020, for the award of service connection for adjustment disorder with depressed mood and denied increased ratings for left foot cuneiform fracture, left lower extremity anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve impairment, and facial scars.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's adjustment disorder with depressed mood was granted a 70 percent rating, but erectile dysfunction was denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with depressed mood, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.
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