The Board has determined that the veteran's left elbow disability is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability. The veteran's depressive disorder is currently evaluated at 30 percent and the Board found no basis for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the veteran's left elbow problem was aggravated by favoring his left shoulder, resulting in increased pain. For the depressive disorder, the Board noted that the symptoms were sufficient to warrant a 30 percent evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- left elbow disability, depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 16, 2008
- Citation
- 0843263
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 0843263.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's vascular headaches are granted effective August 22, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective February 11, 2015. SMC based on housebound criteria is denied prior to July 14, 2020.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 100% rating for depressive disorder, effective August 1, 2020, as the reduction was improper and did not comply with applicable regulations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including unspecified anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, kleptomania, and PTSD is being remanded due to the AOJ's failure to obtain medical records from his periods of incarceration or a medical opinion regarding his diagnoses.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted service connection for migraine headaches effective August 10, 2022.,The Veteran was granted service connection for depressive disorder effective April 11, 2024.
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