The veteran's major depression is found to be secondary to his service-connected hearing loss and cervical spine disabilities. He was granted a compensable rating for his cervical strain effective June 28, 2003.
The deciding factor: Major depression has been determined to be related to the veteran's service-connected hearing loss and cervical spine disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depression, Bilateral High Frequency Hearing Loss, Cervical Strain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 26, 2006
- Citation
- 0615384
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,440 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0615384.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Major Depression, and Panic Disorder due to his withdrawal of these issues prior to a decision being made.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD rating was reduced from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective February 20, 2025. The Board finds the reduction improper and restores the 70 percent disability rating for PTSD.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depression and anxiety disorder are considered part of his service-connected peripheral neuropathy, which already qualifies him for SMC(l). Therefore, he is not eligible for a higher rate of SMC.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is rated at 70 percent. The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent.
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