The Veteran's depressive disorder and anxiety disorder are granted as secondary to his service-connected back condition. The Board also found that the Veteran's arthritis of the left ankle, left shoulder, and right knee is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected back condition.
The deciding factor: The examiner found that the Veteran’s psychiatric conditions were at least as likely as not due to his back condition, specifically 'degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis'. The Board also noted that the Veteran's arthritis of the left ankle, left shoulder, and right knee are less likely than not related to service but more likely related to his service-connected back condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Arthritis (left ankle), Arthritis (left shoulder), Arthritis (right knee)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19182043
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,977 · Granted: 27% (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 19182043.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial ratings for anxiety disorder and TBI were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the claim was granted and effective from February 22, 2023.
- Denied
The Board denied eligibility to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a March 2024 rating decision because the March 2024 rating decision was an initial decision granting service connection for anxiety disorder.
- 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.
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