The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity as secondary to a low back disability and has reopened the claim for major depressive disorder, finding new and material evidence. The issue of whether the depression was caused or aggravated by the low back disability is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is likely as not caused by his service-connected low back disability and reopened the claim for major depressive disorder, finding new and material evidence. The issue of whether the depression was caused or aggravated by the low back disability remains to be determined.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19188877
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 19188877.
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.
- Dismissed
The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
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- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left hip degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle and knee conditions, and major depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected knee and ankle conditions. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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