The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis, left patellofemoral syndrome, left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), allergic rhinitis, left palm ganglion cyst excision, herpes simplex, acne vulgaris, and uterine fibroids, have prevented the Veteran from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities negatively impacted her ability to function at work and caused physical and emotional constraints that were not conducive to employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Sleep apnea, Degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis, Left patellofemoral syndrome, chondromalacia patella and bursal joint effusion, left knee, Left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), Left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), Allergic rhinitis, Left palm ganglion cyst excision, Hershey simplex, Ace vulgaris, Uterine fibroids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175874
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,645 · Granted: 19% (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 19175874.
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 Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, as secondary to his already service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
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