The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as his application for a special home adaptation grant. The claim for service connection for a low back condition was remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating or eligibility for a SHA grant, and there was no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut the previous favorable finding on his COPD.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Low back condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051751
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 40% rating for his low back condition and a 60% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, while other claims were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or event that caused these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's low back, neck, right hand, left hand, right knee, and left knee conditions as there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were related to active service or caused by any service-connected disability.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's low back condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and left hip conditions as there was no evidence of a worsening of symptoms beyond what was shown at the September 2023 VA examination.
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