Depression decisions — 2025

The Board granted ratings of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, while denying higher ratings for sleep apnea with COPD and chronic headaches. TDIU was granted based on the service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, duodenal ulcer, and irritable bowel syndrome. The remaining claims regarding a neurological disorder of the left and right elbows were remanded.

The Board granted a higher initial rating of 70 percent for generalized anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder effective December 19, 2021.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, but remanded the claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) with anxious distress, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that his current psychiatric disability had its onset during military service.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 17, 2020, for service connection for major depressive disorder based on the Veteran's oral statement of intent to file a claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder with psychotic features, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the final October 1998 decision.

The appeal was dismissed as the Notice of Disagreement did not timely address the issues in question.

The Board denied an effective date prior to November 14, 2013, for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder.

The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, as secondary to service-connected disabilities due to a lack of adequate notice prior to a scheduled VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for depression, peptic ulcer, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, bilateral ankle condition, bilateral elbow condition, foot condition, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral wrist condition as the persuasive weight of the evidence indicated these conditions were not etiologically related to active service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety, depression, and insomnia, due to a duty to assist error regarding outstanding private medical records.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and bipolar with sleep problems/insomnia), left hip osteoarthritis, and left shoulder strain.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, a higher initial rating for his mental health condition, and increased ratings for his right ankle, back, and nerve conditions.

The Board granted an increased rating of 100 percent for the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder (claimed as PTSD), effective January 28, 2021.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and depressive disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with insomnia and denied increased ratings for other conditions, remanding several claims for further development.

The Board granted service connection for depression, finding that the evidence does not show clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing depression that was not aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, a higher initial rating for his mental health condition, and increased ratings for his right ankle, back, and nerve conditions.