The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The right elbow disability claim was denied due to lack of in-service injury and no nexus.
The deciding factor: Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder diagnosed as depressive disorder was granted on a secondary basis, meaning it is caused by another service-connected condition (degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine). Service connection for a right elbow disability was denied because there was no evidence of in-service injury and no medical opinion linking current symptoms to service.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, right elbow disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20045075
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 20045075.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's vascular headaches are granted effective August 22, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective February 11, 2015. SMC based on housebound criteria is denied prior to July 14, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 100% rating for depressive disorder, effective August 1, 2020, as the reduction was improper and did not comply with applicable regulations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including unspecified anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, kleptomania, and PTSD is being remanded due to the AOJ's failure to obtain medical records from his periods of incarceration or a medical opinion regarding his diagnoses.
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