The Veteran is awarded a 70% disability rating for his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder and an additional 20% rating for his left knee condition, bringing his combined rating to 80%. The Board also granted entitlement to Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to the severity of both conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disabilities combine to at least a 70% disability rating with one disability rated higher than 40%, meeting the schedular requirements for TDIU eligibility. Additionally, medical evidence supports that his service-connected left knee condition severely impacts his ability to work due to pain and functional limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depressive disorder, left knee condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- August 13, 2019
- Citation
- A19000861
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 A19000861.
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 70 percent rating for the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder, finding that her symptoms more closely approximated those required for such a rating.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to untimely filing of the Board Appeal requests.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for allergic rhinitis and lumbosacral or cervical strain was dismissed due to untimeliness, while the other issues were remanded for further evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left knee conditions, denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and denied special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a lower extremity.
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