The Board granted restoration of service connection for depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome, with major depressive like episode secondary to service-connected disabilities, effective July 1, 2020.
The deciding factor: The November 2016 private examination was found adequate and entitled to significant probative weight, while the December 2018 VA examination was deemed inadequate for decision making purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25037791
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as an initial disability rating of 50 percent for depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome. The remaining claims for service connection were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
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