The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressive features and generalized anxiety disorder, denied a higher rating for his migraine including migraine variants, and denied ratings for other conditions.

The deciding factor: The most probative evidence showed that the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms met the criteria for a 70 percent rating but not higher, while his migraines did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

Claimed conditions

depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressive features, generalized anxiety disorder, migraine including migraine variants, right ear hearing loss, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right hip strain (limitation of extension), right hip strain (limitation of flexion), right hip strain (impairment of thigh), left ear hearing loss, right elbow pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left hip strain, lumbosacral strain with lumbar discogenic pain, radiculopathy, left lower extremity, radiculopathy, right lower extremity

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

70%

Decision date

December 30, 2025

Citation

A25111013

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