The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder has been granted a disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The severity, frequency, and duration of his mental health symptoms more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder manifested significant impairments including anxiety, depression, irritability, hypervigilance, sleep impairment, memory loss, impulsivity, social isolation, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, and suicidal ideation. These symptoms more closely approximated the criteria for a 70 percent disability rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Somatic symptom disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 15, 2026
- Citation
- A26034996
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 A26034996.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder with depressive disorder, unspecified, and anxious distress resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in areas of work, family relations, judgment, and mood. The Board granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent for this condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for other specified depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, alcohol use disorder, left hip condition, left knee condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right hip condition, right knee condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, shin splints, left leg, shin splints, right leg, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed claims for service connection for PTSD and special monthly compensation due to loss of a creative organ, denied increased ratings for several disabilities, and granted service connection for somatic symptom disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD with other specified psychiatric disabilities, finding a current diagnosis and a verified in-service stressor related to combat experience during Persian Gulf service.
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