The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress (MDD) from January 13, 2020 to July 18, 2021, and a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due exclusively to service-connected MDD effective October 13, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of lumbosacral strain more nearly approximated forward flexion of 30 degrees or less during the appeal period. The Veteran met the schedular criteria for a TDIU from October 13, 2020 due to his service-connected MDD.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, major depressive disorder with anxious distress (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- May 7, 2025
- Citation
- A25041645
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (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 A25041645.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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