The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's other service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine disability and related radiculopathy, were determined to be asymptomatic on multiple medical examinations. His depression was also found to result in occasional decrease in work efficiency, which is contemplated by his 30 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Migraine headaches, Coronary artery disease with hypertensive heart disease, Lumbar spine disability, Hypertension, Right and left leg radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- February 22, 2017
- Citation
- 1705387
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 1705387.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
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