The Veteran is entitled to an earlier effective date of February 8, 2023, for the grant of a 70 percent rating for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The deciding factor: The increase in severity of the Veteran's psychiatric disability occurred during the one-year period prior to receipt of his claim on October 19, 2023, as evidenced by symptoms such as high stress and anxiety, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and near-continuous panic or depression affecting his ability to function independently.

Claimed conditions

unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

70%

Decision date

October 16, 2025

Citation

A25089496

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine