The Board granted service connection for a right hip disability, to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, and denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for depressive disorder with severe alcohol use disorder.

The deciding factor: The evidence was at least in equipoise regarding the nexus between the Veteran's current right hip strain and his service-connected right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. For the increased rating claim, the symptoms did not meet or more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating under the General Formula for Mental Disorders.

Claimed conditions

Right hip disability, Depressive disorder with severe alcohol use disorder

How they argued it

Secondary to another service-connected condition

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

70%

Decision date

October 29, 2025

Citation

A25093991

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine