The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as of April 24, 2022, and a higher rating for his major depressive disorder and cocaine use disorder with PTSD and TBI was denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed the Veteran had occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to his service-connected conditions, but not total occupational and social impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Cocaine use disorder with PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI), Left knee arthritis associated with right knee arthritis, Migraines, Right knee arthritis, Erectile dysfunction, Pseudofolliculitis barbae
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25016741
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 705 · Granted: 38% (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 A25016741.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
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- Granted
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- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, as secondary to his already service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
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