The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability. The veteran's depression was also found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected foot disabilities, leading to service connection for this condition as secondary to his service-connected cold weather injury.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that new evidence had been submitted which supported reopening the claim for service connection for a back disability. The veteran's depression was found to be related to his service-connected foot disabilities and thus secondary to his service-connected cold weather injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disability, Psychiatric disorder (depression)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 17, 2003
- Citation
- 0316222
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 0316222.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but remanded the back disability claim for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the claims for an initial compensable rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss, service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, and a left eye disorder. However, it granted service connection for a back disability and radiculopathy of both lower extremities as secondary to the back disability.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the right ankle disability, but remanded claims for service connection for sinusitis and back disability.
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