Depression decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for migraine and tension headaches, a rating greater than 50 percent for residuals of traumatic brain injury with MDD, adjustment disorder with anxiety, and PTSD, and a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, amphetamine use disorder, and opiod use disorder but denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, as there was no evidence that these conditions manifested during or were related to his period of active duty.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and unspecified depressive disorder, second to TMJ dysfunction; extraschedular rating for TMJ dysfunction; and TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to October 24, 2018.

The Board remands the claims for an increased initial rating and earlier effective date for anxiety and depression with insomnia, as well as a claim for service connection for PTSD, to allow further development and readjudication of the acquired psychiatric disorder claim.

The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified depression disorder with anxious distress, as secondary to service-connected idiopathic urticaria and tinnitus due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The appeal for service connection for an acquired mental health disability, to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of administrative review options.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder due to military sexual trauma (MST) based on credible supporting evidence that the in-service stressor occurred.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, as the evidence did not show that the Appellant had a disability caused or aggravated by a disease or injury sustained in the line of duty during her active duty for training (ADT) or inactive duty for training (IDT).

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms had their onset during his active duty and were related to his military experiences.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's psychiatric disability but denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, as the earliest possible effective dates were May 8, 2017, and September 5, 2014, respectively.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD and all acquired mental conditions was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress prior to May 23, 2023 and granted a 50 percent rating from May 23, 2023 to August 13, 2023. A rating in excess of 70 percent was also denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support an increase in severity of the disabilities within one year prior to December 21, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, retinopathy secondary to the non-service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, stroke secondary to the non-service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, a psychiatric disorder (previously claimed as depression), and a pre-existing head injury.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD) as it is related to the Veteran's service, specifically due to racial prejudice and interpersonal difficulties experienced during his military service.

The appeal for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, limited flexion of the forearm (elbow condition left), impairment of elbow or flail joint (elbow condition right), limitation of motion of the arm (shoulder condition left), and chronic adjustment disorder (depression) was dismissed due to untimely filing of a Notice of Disagreement.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD during the appeal period and the Veteran's depressive symptoms were not found to be related to his military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for passive aggressive personality disorder and an acquired psychiatric disability, to include major depressive disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), due to pre-decisional errors in the AOJ's handling of the Veteran's claims.