The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for unspecified depressive disorder and granted special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance. The claim for service connection for hypertension was remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, but he required regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depressive disorder (also claimed as depression and sleep), hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis in his bilateral hands, elbows, and fingers (cramps, pain, weakened grip strength), asthma, right and left median nerve carpal tunnel syndrome, left hamstring tendonitis, residuals of right hamstring injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- June 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25052333
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 23% (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 A25052333.
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 hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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