The Board granted service connection for a mood disorder due to known physiological condition with depressive features as secondary to squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, but denied an earlier effective date and increased rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, and remanded claims for increased rating and service connection for knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The April 2023 VA examination report supports a medical nexus between mood disorder and squamous cell carcinoma of the neck. The evidence does not support an earlier effective date or higher rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, and further development is needed for the knee claims.
- Claimed conditions
- mood disorder due to known physiological condition with depressive features, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, left thigh (previously rated as numbness on the left lateral thigh), left knee chondromalacia with degenerative changes and medial meniscus tear
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25057431
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 granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and voiding dysfunction as residuals of a stroke, and granted initial ratings for the back disability, left shoulder disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The claims for earlier effective dates for hypertension and stroke were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board restored the 60% rating for degenerative arthritis and IVDS of the lumbar spine, status post fusion, with stenosis and spondylolisthesis. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board granted an effective date of September 16, 2003, for the grant of service connection for mood disorder due to known physiological condition with depressive features.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and denied increased ratings, but granted service connection with an effective date of January 16, 2018, and a TDIU beginning April 18, 2017.
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