The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The cervical spine disability is not rated higher than 20 percent, the left knee disability remains at 10 percent, and hypertension is also rated at 10 percent. GERD receives a 10 percent rating. TDIU is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's depressive disorder was found to be aggravated by her service-connected disabilities, warranting secondary service connection. The cervical spine disability did not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to lack of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes. The left knee and hypertension were rated at 10 percent as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on flexion/extension limitations or other symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, left knee disability, hypertension, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19125128
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (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 19125128.
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
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