The Veteran's claims for service connection are granted, with an initial rating of 70 percent for major depressive disorder. Service connection is also granted for bilateral pes planus and limitation of extension right knee and patellar dystrophic calcification right knee. The claim for lower extremity restless leg syndrome is denied due to lack of current diagnosis. The Veteran's claim for residuals of pneumonia, alternatively claimed as a lung disability, is reopened.
The deciding factor: The Veteran submitted new evidence showing a current diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which was found to be related to his in-service pneumonia and smoking history.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder, limitation of extension right knee, patellar dystrophic calcification right knee, bilateral pes planus, lower extremity restless leg syndrome
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 3, 2018
- Citation
- 18115395
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 18115395.
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 Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.
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