The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection of cerebellar ataxia affecting certain cranial nerves and facial nerve, but denied earlier effective dates for the lower extremities. The Board also granted a higher rating for depressive disorder starting September 15, 2021.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's cerebellar ataxia affecting cranial nerves and facial nerve manifested as severe incomplete paralysis, while the lower extremity ataxia did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- cerebellar ataxia affecting right lower extremity, cerebellar ataxia affecting left lower extremity, cerebellar ataxia affecting right cranial nerve XII (facial), cerebellar ataxia affecting left cranial nerve XII (facial), cerebellar ataxia affecting right cranial nerve IX (glossopharyngeal), cerebellar ataxia affecting left cranial nerve IX (glossopharyngeal), cerebellar ataxia affecting right cranial nerve X (vagus), cerebellar ataxia affecting left cranial nerve X (vagus), unspecified depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25032338
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.
- Granted
The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder, finding that her symptoms more closely approximated those required for such a rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder, mood disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder and major depressive disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 7, 2020, for the award of a 70 percent rating for unspecified depressive disorder and TDIU, but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.
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