The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, is granted. The initial ratings for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are denied. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder as it is related to his military service, with a grant of TDIU based on his service-connected conditions rendering him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Major Depressive Disorder), Radiculopathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Radiculopathy of the Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129107
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (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 19129107.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was denied, but he was granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder on the basis that it is secondary to his service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for discontinuance of TDIU, reduction of disability rating for acquired psychiatric disorder, and reduction of disability rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity due to lack of response from the Veteran within the required timeframe.
- Denied
The Board found that the evidence did not show an actual improvement in the Veteran's conditions, and thus denied the reduction requests for his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability is granted service connection.,Service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are also granted.
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