The veteran's claim for service connection for depression, including as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, has been reopened. His claim for an increased rating for residuals of a compression fracture of the first lumbar vertebra is granted. The claim for a total rating by reason of individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities remains denied. His claim for an increased initial rating for traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine is also granted.
The deciding factor: The veteran's depression was found to be secondary to his service-connected disabilities, leading to a grant of service connection and an increase in disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 3, 2006
- Citation
- 0606299
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 remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back pain, knee and wrist joint pains, neck pain, anxiety, depression, as further development is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and denied service connection for a lower back disorder. The claims for depression, substance abuse disorder, and a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss were dismissed.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 12, 2023, for a 50 percent evaluation of bipolar disorder and remanded the other issues for further development.
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