The Veteran's depressive disorder, left foot scar, intervertebral disc syndrome/lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy have all been granted service connection. However, the effective dates for these grants are not earlier than February 13, 2003 (depressive disorder), June 17, 2015 (left foot scar), May 9, 2012 (intervertebral disc syndrome/lumbosacral strain and radiculopathy of the lower extremities).,The Veteran's depressive disorder has been rated as 70 percent disabling. The Board denied an initial rating greater than 70 percent.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence prior to February 13, 2003 that the Veteran filed a claim for service connection for his depressive disorder.,The post-surgical scar related to his corns and calluses of the feet did not manifest as a separate disability warranting compensation until June 17, 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Intervertebral Disc Syndrome/Lumbosacral Strain, Left Foot Scar, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19108786
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19108786.
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.
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The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the claim was granted and effective from February 22, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent effective from August 3, 2021. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted a 30 percent disability rating since November 29, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected Depressive Disorder is causing him to require regular assistance in keeping himself clean and presentable, which may qualify him for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance. The case is being remanded to schedule a VA examination to assess this issue.
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