The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected chronic pain conditions. The issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than MDD, bilateral metatarsalgia, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, mechanical low back pain with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and TDIU are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's major depressive disorder was found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected chronic pain conditions (bilateral metatarsalgia, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, mechanical low back pain with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine).
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder (MDD), an acquired psychiatric disability other than MDD, bilateral metatarsalgia, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, mechanical low back pain with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2024
- Citation
- 24001572
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,164 · Granted: 31% (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 24001572.
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 appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability, including without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, including secondary to a service-connected left knee disability, is granted. The condition was not related to military service and no aggravation by the service-connected left knee disability could be established.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder contributed to his death from a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA). The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is therefore granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders and their relationship to service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.