The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including diagnoses of depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome, with major depressive like episode, GAD, and alcohol use disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with lumbar discopathy s/p lumbar surgery with synovial cyst and degenerative changes. The Board has also granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his acquired psychiatric disorder.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by Dr. M.C. supported the Veteran's claims, finding that his psychiatric disorders were at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected lumbosacral strain and that these conditions potentiated the development of his sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome, major depressive like episode, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 10, 2024
- Citation
- A24036848
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 A24036848.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, with a rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's back disability remains at a 40 percent rating. The Board finds the evidence does not support an increase to higher ratings.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the femoral nerve in both lower extremities are each granted initial 20 percent ratings.,Service connection for GAD, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic kidney pain is remanded.,A compensable disability rating (greater than 0 percent) for chronic kidney infections is also remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, along with alcohol use disorder, has been granted a 100% evaluation effective from April 8, 2021. The disability causes total occupational and social impairment.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia and alcohol use disorder caused his sleep apnea.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and alcohol use disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD and that the Veteran's only diagnosed condition is alcohol use disorder. The Board also found that service connection cannot be granted due to willful misconduct.
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.