The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder during the period on appeal.,Service connection for postoperative herniated disc L4-5 with implanted spinal cord stimulator was granted, and the Veteran received a 40 percent evaluation effective December 2, 2011. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was denied.,Service connection for left leg disorder (claimed as secondary to service-connected back disorder) is remanded due to conflicting opinions on its etiology.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder during the period on appeal, and there was no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder.,Service connection for postoperative herniated disc L4-5 with implanted spinal cord stimulator is granted based on direct service connection. The Veteran received a 40 percent evaluation effective December 2, 2011.,The left leg disorder claim requires clarification due to conflicting opinions regarding its etiology.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression), Left leg disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 28, 2018
- Citation
- 18153514
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18153514.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depression, is denied. The Board finds no evidence of a diagnosed mental health disability during active or inactive service and thus cannot establish service connection. Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to the inadequacy of the March 2021 VA examination opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for right hand disorder, back disorder, left leg disorder (other than left knee pain), and right leg disorder (other than right knee pain) due to the lack of evidence showing current disabilities during or proximate to the appeal period.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left leg disorders due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms, as well as the VA examiners' failure to consider the continuity of symptoms since service. The case is being returned for further examination and opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left knee condition, and a left hip condition. The evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions.
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