BVA decisions by condition
Acquired psychiatric disorder: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a acquired psychiatric disorder issue in 1,449 decisions. It granted the acquired psychiatric disorder issue in 11.0% of them, below the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 8.1%, and remanded it in 70.1%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 57.6% were granted.
Decisions
1,449
2018–2026
Granted
11.0%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
57.6%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
70.1%
Denied: 8.1%
Acquired psychiatric disorder outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 181 | 11.0% | 4.4% | 68.0% |
| 2019 | 180 | 10.6% | 7.8% | 69.4% |
| 2020 | 171 | 12.3% | 7.6% | 68.4% |
| 2021 | 145 | 7.6% | 11.0% | 70.3% |
| 2022 | 161 | 8.1% | 4.3% | 76.4% |
| 2023 | 192 | 6.8% | 10.4% | 71.4% |
| 2024 | 177 | 11.3% | 6.8% | 72.9% |
| 2025 | 162 | 16.7% | 11.7% | 66.7% |
| 2026 | 80 | 20.0% | 11.3% | 65.0% |
Evidence in granted and denied acquired psychiatric disorder decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the acquired psychiatric disorder issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 409 | 84.2% | 37.3% | +46.8 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 276 | 83.1% | 47.8% | +35.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 85 | 77.8% | 55.4% | +22.4 pts |
| Combat service | 100 | 76.7% | 55.2% | +21.4 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 574 | 65.0% | 49.6% | +15.4 pts |
| Buddy statement | 66 | 50.0% | 58.0% | −8.0 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,251 | 55.1% | 75.8% | −20.7 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 75.0% of the decisions that granted acquired psychiatric disorder.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 35.0% of grants and 8.5% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often acquired psychiatric disorder was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,154 | 53.2% | 74.1% | −21.0 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 820 | 47.1% | 68.1% | −21.0 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied acquired psychiatric disorder
Most common reasons in grants
- Service connection established2
- 100% rating for total occupational/social impairment1
- August 2019 VA examination indicated mild or transient symptoms causing occupational and social impairment1
- Bankhead v. shulkin, 29 vet. app. 10, 18-19 (2017) supports a higher rating based on suicidal ideation1
- Behavior posed persistent danger to self and others1
- Board bound by favorable aoj finding granting 100% based on apr 2022 exam1
- Board could not ascertain specific date of worsening prior to april 1, 2024, but assigned that effective date1
- Board found evidence weighed against total impairment for 100% rating1
Most common reasons in denials
- Total occupational and social impairment not demonstrated2
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim2
- No current diagnosis2
- Consistent denial of delusions and hallucinations1
- Current diagnosis established1
- Deficiencies in most areas of occupational and social functioning noted1
- Did not meet criteria for total occupational/social impairment (100%)1
- Difficulty adapting to stress noted, but overall impairment consistent with 50%1
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent acquired psychiatric disorder decisions
Granted
Veteran's symptoms approximate criteria for 70 percent rating.; Benefit of the doubt applied to grant the 70 percent rating.; Symptoms include anxiety, depressed mood, impaired impulse control, and social difficulties.
Weight of evidence supports 50% rating.; Symptoms identified (anxiety, memory loss, difficulty adapting, impaired impulse control) align with criteria for 50% rating.; Veteran's employment and family relationships, though sometimes strained, prevent higher rating.
VA treatment records demonstrate ongoing and chronic suicidal ideation, irritability with reports of violence, depression, lack of appetite, anger, and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances.; Bankhead v. Shulkin, 29 Vet. App. 10, 18-19 (2017) supports a higher rating based on suicidal ideation.; Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor, the Board finds the acquired psychiatric disorder and residuals of TBI manifest in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
Denied
Symptoms more characteristic of 70% rating than 100%; Improvement with medication noted; Total occupational and social impairment not demonstrated
Symptoms approximated 50% rating level; Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity; Difficulty adapting to stress noted, but overall impairment consistent with 50%
Symptoms did not rise to the level of total occupational and social impairment required for 100% rating.; Inability to perform ADLs attributed to other service-connected disabilities, not acquired psychiatric disorder.; Positive social relationships weigh against total social impairment.
Rules that apply to acquired psychiatric disorder claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your acquired psychiatric disorder case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a acquired psychiatric disorder issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.