The Veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for her service-connected mood disorder with major depressive episodes was denied. Her claim for Dependents Educational Assistance benefits was also denied due to the absence of a permanent and total disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating, which is required for both a permanent total disability rating and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- mood disorder, herpes II infection, chondromalacia, right knee, chondromalacia, left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21007762
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 21007762.
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 Veteran's service-connected mood disorder is rated at 70 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran also sought TDIU based on his mood disorder and anxiety, which was granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for asthma and a mood disorder, as well as TDIU benefits, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's passing during the appeal process.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal seeking service connection for insomnia, depression, and mood disorder was dismissed because the March 2025 rating decision did not adjudicate these claims. The Veteran submitted a supplemental claim seeking service connection for anxiety condition, adjustment disorder, and depression (which had already been granted), but this did not address the issue of service connection for insomnia.
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