The Board has granted the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for degenerative disc disease L4-L5 and service connection for a mood disorder as secondary to his service-connected lumbar disability. The TDIU rating claim is not addressed in this decision.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's current mood disorder was 'secondary to chronic back problems' due to his service-connected lumbar disability, supporting the veteran's contention for secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease L4-L5, mood disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- July 28, 2004
- Citation
- 0420493
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 0420493.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected mood disorder is rated at 70 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran also sought TDIU based on his mood disorder and anxiety, which was granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for asthma and a mood disorder, as well as TDIU benefits, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's passing during the appeal process.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal seeking service connection for insomnia, depression, and mood disorder was dismissed because the March 2025 rating decision did not adjudicate these claims. The Veteran submitted a supplemental claim seeking service connection for anxiety condition, adjustment disorder, and depression (which had already been granted), but this did not address the issue of service connection for insomnia.
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