The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as depressive disorder, is granted due to its increase in severity being proximately due to his service-connected disabilities. His tinnitus and basal cell carcinoma are not related to service or any incident therein. The voiding dysfunction, DM2 with hypertension and erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and lower extremities, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have been found to aggravate his depressive disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disability is secondary to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disability (Depressive Disorder), Tinnitus, Basal Cell Carcinoma and Scar of the Right Ear Status Post Surgery, Sleep Apnea, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Voiding Dysfunction, DM2 with Hypertension and Erectile Dysfunction, Right Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Left Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Right Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Left Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20026141
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 20026141.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
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