The Board granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis on an aggravation basis.
The deciding factor: The evidence was at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's persistent depressive disorder has been aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, and reasonable doubt was resolved in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Persistent depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25023187
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,081 · 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 A25023187.
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 Veteran's claim for SMC(o) was denied as he could not receive multiple awards of SMC(l). The right shoulder bicipital tendonitis rating was denied, and the TDIU claim was granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is found to have begun during service. Effective February 4, 2020, a 20% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted. The effective date of the separate 20% rating for left lower radiculopathy remains January 14, 2021.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected psychiatric disability and GERD, effective December 30, 2021.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, specifically generalized anxiety disorder and persistent depressive disorder, is granted a 70 percent rating for the entire period on appeal. The issue of entitlement to TDIU remains pending.
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