The Veteran's effective date for service connection of depressive disorder was changed from September 20, 2017 to March 3, 2018.,An effective date of April 25, 2018 was granted for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were based on medical evidence showing an increase in disability as of April 25, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 19, 2020
- Citation
- A20015699
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 denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, except for a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral strain.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability from March 8, 2010, to May 19, 2014, and denied a higher rating thereafter.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and facial scars, status post excision of cyst of left and right jaw. However, it granted an initial 40% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy from June 3, 2024.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder of generalized anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, as secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability. Service connection was also granted for pseudofolliculitis barbae, and a 20 percent rating was assigned for left ankle achilles tendonitis from October 23, 2023.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.