The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's back disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, femoral nerve radiculopathy, and left knee instability while granting a 10% rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy from January 24, 2019, to August 30, 2019, and a 20% rating for left knee disability with instability beginning on that date. The Board also granted an initial 100% rating for major depressive disorder (MDD) effective February 5, 2021.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the severity of the Veteran's symptoms and their impact on his daily functioning as documented in medical examinations and records.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (back disability), radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity, radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis (left knee disability) with instability, left knee dislocated semilunar cartilage, residual scars, left knee, major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25045360
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 remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include major depressive disorder (MDD), due to several pre-decisional duty to assist omissions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, MDD, and alcohol use disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and tinnitus.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for major depressive disorder, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and a gastrointestinal disability due to untimeliness of the VA Form 10182. The appeal for service connection for sarcoidosis was denied based on the lack of evidence supporting a current disability.
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