The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxiety and denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the current back condition was not likely related to service due to lack of evidence of any residual from a traumatic condition in the lumbosacral spine and the absence of medical records linking the disability to service. The Veteran's depressive symptoms are found credible as he reported experiencing them since encephalitis in 1964, which is consistent with his military history.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder with anxiety, Back disability (chronic lumbar strain)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2010
- Citation
- 1016551
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 1016551.
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 Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative changes and major depressive disorder with anxiety, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder with anxiety from August 31, 2019, and denied an effective date prior to August 31, 2020, for the grant of service connection and separate ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxiety. The claim is based on the Veteran's credible account of symptoms since service during his combat service in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder, TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status and/or aid and attendance due to issues with obtaining a medical opinion. The Veteran's service-connected conditions include major depressive disorder with anxiety, personality disorders, substance addiction disorders, cocaine use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and cannabis use disorder.
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