The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 12, 2013, for a grant of service connection for major depression disorder is granted. The claims for service connection for a right foot scar and for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for major depressive disorder are remanded due to lack of current disability evidence. The Veteran's claim for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the grant of service connection for major depression disorder was determined to be December 12, 2013, as this was when the Veteran first submitted a formal claim. The claims for right foot scar and initial rating for major depressive disorder are being remanded due to lack of current disability evidence. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- major depression disorder, right foot scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20011371
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 20011371.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require regular aid and attendance, which grants entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to special monthly compensation at a housebound rate is moot due to the grant of aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for service connection of major depression disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and avoidant personality disorder was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date is February 25, 2020, as this is when the Veteran filed his intent to file a claim.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for anxiety due to a delayed diagnosis of a heart condition is dismissed because the grant of service connection for anxiety with major depression disorder, effective November 18, 2016, predated the date the Veteran filed his appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left and right foot scars due to bunionectomies, an initial 30 percent rating for sinusitis, and a 10 percent rating for rhinitis.
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