The Board granted the restoration of a 70% rating for unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder and other specified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, effective July 1, 2021. The claims for an initial rating in excess of 30% for migraines (headaches) from November 1, 2021, and a compensable rating for hypertension were denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show actual improvement in the Veteran's unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder and other specified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder or his ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work. The migraines and hypertension did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on the evidence provided.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder and other specified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, migraines (headaches), hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25090450
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25090450.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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