The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder, is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The Veteran's low back disability remains at a 40% rating due to the current flexion limitation of less than or equal to 30 degrees.
The deciding factor: Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was established based on evidence showing that the depressive disorder is secondary to his service-connected low back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Depressive Disorder"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine"}
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 10, 2020
- Citation
- 20001970
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 Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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