The Veteran was granted an initial increased rating of 70 percent for persistent depressive disorder prior to March 3, 2020, but the claim for a higher rating from that date onward was denied. Service connection was also denied for several other claimed conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for persistent depressive disorder and denied service connection for the other claimed disabilities based on the lack of competent and probative evidence linking them to active service or a service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Persistent depressive disorder, Esophageal disability (claimed as difficulty swallowing), Respiratory disability (claimed as difficulty breathing through nose), Left foot disability, Right foot disability, Left hand disability, Right hand disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25057231
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for persistent depressive disorder and diabetes mellitus type II, granted an increased rating of 10 percent for hypertension, and granted an increased rating of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The Board also remanded service connection for cardiac arrhythmia.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for anxiety disorder and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The appeal for an increased rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder and other disabilities was denied, with no increase in the assigned ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA's obligation to obtain relevant records from the Social Security Administration.
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