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Depression and other acquired psychiatric disorders are rated like PTSD, on occupational and social impairment, and are often claimed as secondary to a physical service-connected condition.
VA rating schedule, diagnostic code 9434
Depression is a mental health condition the VA rates under its rules for mental disorders. The VA names and diagnoses these conditions using the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5, and the rating schedule lists separate diagnostic codes for major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), and unspecified depressive disorder. To be "service-connected," the evidence generally has to show the condition began during service or was caused or made worse by service. The VA also says it reviews all the evidence and follows a policy of reading the law in a broad and liberal way in the veteran's favor.
Major depressive disorder is rated under diagnostic code 9434, and depression conditions are scored using the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. Ratings range from 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, to 100%, and the percentage depends on how much the condition causes "occupational and social impairment" — in plain terms, how much it affects your ability to work and get along with others. For example, a 30% level describes things like depressed mood, anxiety, and chronic sleep problems with occasional drops in work efficiency, a 50% level describes reduced reliability and productivity, a 70% level describes deficiencies in most areas such as work, family, and mood, and a 100% level describes total work and social impairment. By rule, the VA is supposed to look at the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms and base the rating on all the evidence, not just how you appear on the day of one exam, and it cannot rate you on social impairment alone.
There is no special Agent Orange, burn pit, Camp Lejeune, or PACT Act "presumptive" pathway that automatically links depression to a specific exposure the way some cancers or breathing illnesses are presumed. However, depression is often connected another way: if it is proximately due to, the result of, or made worse by an already service-connected disease or injury (for example, ongoing pain or another condition), it can be service-connected on a "secondary" basis, and that secondary condition is then treated as part of the original one. A first denial is a starting point, not the end of the road, and there are review and appeal options.
This is educational information about how the VA's rules work in general — it is not legal advice and it is not a VA decision about your own claim.
Grounded in federal regulations and VA guidance, independently reviewed June 2026. Educational information, not legal advice or a VA determination.
Across 72,607 real Board appeals for Depression
A denial is often not the end either — remands (shown below) are sent back for more development and can still end in a grant. These are historical outcomes, not a prediction of your case.
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Among the appeals that were granted or partly granted, the most common ways Depression was linked to service:
In appeals where Depression was the only condition decided and the Board granted it, the rating most often assigned was:
These appeals involved a recognized exposure — which can mean the link to service is presumed, with no nexus to prove:
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia and alcohol use disorder caused his sleep apnea.
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, and depressive disorder due to another medical condition, is granted as service-connected. The left shoulder and lower back conditions are remanded for further examination.
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with psychotic features is granted a 100% disability rating from October 8, 2019 to September 12, 2021 due to persistent hallucinations.
The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his increased evaluation for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains denied.
The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service harassment. Service connection was denied for a binge eating disorder as there is no evidence of such a condition.
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military sexual trauma (MST). The issues of entitlement to service connection for alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use disorder and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
Jump to the decisions from a specific year.
New decisions are added every week, and older years are actively being backfilled — a year that looks thin or missing here (especially 2011–2017) is a gap in our library, not in the Board’s decisions.
Veterans appealing Depression often look at outcomes for these too:
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.