The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include depression as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, has been granted. The Veteran is also granted a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to July 25, 2017 and in excess of 30 percent from July 25, 2017 and thereafter for a cervical spine disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports the finding that the Veteran's depression is aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including his cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression), Cervical spine disability, Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, Radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, Radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Right shoulder subluxation
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2022
- Citation
- 22037707
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 22037707.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his low back disability is being remanded due to the reduction in evaluation from 40 percent to 20 percent effective May 31, 2014. The RO needs to provide updated VA treatment records and schedule a VA examination to determine the current severity of the disability.
- Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for brain cancer, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain a radiation dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The Veteran's military service aboard USS ENTERPRISE is considered relevant to his exposure to ionizing radiation.
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