The Veteran's service-connected persistent depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent effective February 26, 2003. The earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits are granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s depressive disorder has manifested in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since February 26, 2003.
- Claimed conditions
- persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19148196
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (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 19148196.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for persistent depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and bilateral hearing loss as the evidence of record did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), pain left great toe, and sleep apnea but denied increased ratings for the veteran's shoulder strain, thumb strain, wrist ganglion cyst, wrist scar, and painful scar.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), and unspecified anxiety disorder; gouty ankle and knees; and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) based on a private medical opinion and the Veteran's reported experiences during service.
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