The Veteran was granted a 100 percent disability rating for somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and major depressive episodes, effective May 6, 2021. The right ankle debridement of arthritis, post traumatic, was denied a higher rating, while service connection was granted for right knee pain but denied for low back pain and radiculopathy in the lower right extremity.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the severity of somatic symptom disorder symptoms causing total social and occupational impairment, while other conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- low back pain, radiculopathy, lower right extremity, right ankle debridement of arthritis, post traumatic, right knee pain, somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and major depressive episodes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- May 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25042360
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 A25042360.
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 claim for service connection of a low back disability was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim is denied as there is no evidence that the current condition is related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, and low back pain due to potential errors in duty to assist. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicide agents and obtain private treatment records.
- Partly granted
The claims for service connection for hypertension, back pain, right hip pain, left hip pain, right knee pain, and left knee pain have been readjudicated. The claim for sleep apnea has also been readjudicated.,Service connection has been granted for a neck condition, back pain, right hip pain, left hip pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, an acquired psychiatric disorder, bruxism, and vertigo.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of February 26, 2011 for the award of service connection for low back pain with left sacroiliac dysfunction based on new evidence received after a final denial.
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