The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for depression is denied, while her claim for a higher initial evaluation prior to November 24, 2014, for depression is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding the severity of her disability.
The deciding factor: Prior to November 24, 2014, the Veteran's depression manifested as occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas but not total occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20080584
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,874 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20080584.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the claim was granted and effective from February 22, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent effective from August 3, 2021. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected Depressive Disorder is causing him to require regular assistance in keeping himself clean and presentable, which may qualify him for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance. The case is being remanded to schedule a VA examination to assess this issue.
- Granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of service connection (January 23, 2020), due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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