The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and an earlier effective date for the grant of basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities collectively are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability, and he has permanent and total disability as of May 29, 2015, for DEA eligibility purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Thoracolumbar Spine with Intervertebral Disc Syndrome, Degenerative Disc Disease, Cervical Spine, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, Radiculopathy, Right Lower Extremity Associated with DDD, Thoracolumbar Spine, Plantar Fasciitis, Left Foot Associated with DDD, Thoracolumbar Spine, Left Knee Strain with Traumatic Arthritis Associated with DDD, Knee Strain with Traumatic Arthritis, Thoracolumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25012012
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,062 · Granted: 34% (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 A25012012.
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.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is found to have begun during their active duty service and continues to this day, meeting the criteria for service connection.
- Denied
The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss/memory problems, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties/sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of testicular denervation and varicosectomy has been granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder with TBI is rated at 70 percent, but the appeal for a higher rating is denied.
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.