The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, a 100 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from January 9, 2019. It also granted an effective date of June 4, 2020, but no earlier, for the assignment of special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) and award of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
The deciding factor: The Board granted an effective date based on continuous pursuit of claims and factually ascertainable increase in disability, with the exception of a higher rating for sciatic radiculopathy which was denied as no worse than 10 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- Left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, Major depressive disorder with anxious distress, Right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25099134
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 899 · Granted: 45% (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 A25099134.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, particularly PTSD. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions and related stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error where VA was aware of relevant private treatment records but did not notify the appellant or request a release for these records.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress was granted effective October 29, 2019. He is currently receiving a 70% disability rating.
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