The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The thoracolumbar spine disability and sciatica of the left lower extremity are each rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran’s depressive disorder was aggravated by his service-connected low back and left knee disabilities, warranting service connection. The thoracolumbar spine disability and sciatica of the left lower extremity are each rated at 20 percent based on their respective Diagnostic Codes, which is the maximum rating under these codes.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, thoracolumbar spine disability, sciatica of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18144778
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 18144778.
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 Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as depressive disorder, effective May 1, 2017.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are causally or etiologically due to his time in service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and a left shoulder disability as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased rating for depressive disorder and remanded the claims for a higher rating for headache syndrome and TDIU.
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