The Board denied an effective date prior to September 5, 2023, for a 100 percent rating for MDD and SMC based on housebound criteria. However, it granted service connection for right ear painful scar, right ear surgical scar, and sleep apnea with an effective date of November 30, 2020.

The deciding factor: The evidence did not support the claimant's assertion that her symptoms were severe enough to warrant a higher rating or SMC prior to September 5, 2023. The VA medical records and examinations showed that she had periods of moderate depression but no persistent delusions or hallucinations.

Claimed conditions

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Right Ear Painful Scar, Right Ear Surgical Scar, Sleep Apnea, Right Ankle Condition, Left Ankle Disability, Right Shoulder Condition, Left Shoulder Disability, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Hemorrhoids, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Type II (DM), Lumbar Spine Degenerative Arthritis, Bilateral Hip Condition

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 31, 2025

Citation

A25094727

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