The Veteran was previously service-connected for depressive disorder, bilateral knee disability (related to leg pain), and bilateral ankle disability. The Board found that she could not secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 1, 2010 due to her service-connected disabilities. From June 1, 2010, to August 12, 2018, the Veteran was unable to perform her duties as a cosmetologist and business owner due to physical limitations (bilateral ankle disability requiring frequent rest) and mental impairments (depressive disorder).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee and ankle conditions and depressive disorder, rendered her physically and mentally incapable of performing the activities required for substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Bilateral Knee Disability (progression of leg pain), Bilateral Ankle Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20070431
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 tinnitus, bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence supporting an in-service injury or continuity of symptomatology. The claim for a psychiatric disorder was also denied as the Veteran's statements were found not credible.
- 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 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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an initial compensable rating for GERD was withdrawn, and the claims for service connection for a low back disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, and right knee disability were denied.
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