Depression decisions — 2025

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is service-connected as secondary to his right knee degenerative arthritis, and he is granted a TDIU from May 15, 2000 to December 18, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, adjustment disorder, and major depressive disorder, as there was no credible evidence of a stressor to support a diagnosis of PTSD and no direct link established between any diagnosed condition and service.

The Board denied service connection for MDD and remanded the issue of a compensable evaluation for hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder recurrent moderate without psychosis was granted a 70 percent disability rating from October 15, 2013, to April 16, 2023.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for major depressive disorder, finding no new and material evidence to support an earlier effective date prior to August 6, 2021, and that the evidence did not show symptoms warranting a rating in excess of 70 percent.

The Board granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder and somatic symptom disorder, and assigned a 70 percent rating for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder with mild alcohol use disorder. The claims for increased ratings for the right shoulder strain and IBS were denied.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, hypertension, and arteriosclerotic heart disease (CAD) due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted restoration of service connection for depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome, with major depressive like episode secondary to service-connected disabilities, effective July 1, 2020.

The Veteran was granted a 60 percent rating for bronchial asthma from July 30, 1992 to March 25, 2018. An earlier effective date for the award of service connection for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress was denied.

The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities, to include PTSD and depressive disorder, as well as left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome and shin splints, right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome and shin splints, lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board granted service connection for multiple sclerosis and related conditions (sleep disorder, fatigue, depression, joint pain) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected multiple sclerosis.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection for vertigo, major depression/anxiety condition, and degenerative arthritis of both hands to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for athletic induced asthma, chronic venous insufficiency, GERD, and hypothyroidism as there was no evidence of current disabilities. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and fibromyalgia were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for unspecified depressive disorder and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, as well as remanded several other claims.

The Board granted an effective date of June 15, 2021, for a 40 percent evaluation for the chronic orthopedic symptoms of lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease (DDD), and granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) effective October 6, 2023.

The Board remands the case for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder that may be present, including whether it is secondary to service-connected seborrheic dermatitis.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and major depressive disorder due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for revision of a June 1985 rating decision that denied a rating higher than 30 percent for psychiatric disability on the basis of clear and unmistakable error, finding the Veteran and his attorney failed to set forth the alleged error with specificity and legal or factual basis. The dismissal is without prejudice to refiling.