Depression decisions — 2025

The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety and depressive disorder, as the evidence demonstrated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as major depressive disorder with anxious distress and unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder from February 23, 2021, but denied an increased rating prior to that date.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected hearing loss and/or tinnitus due to missing evidence.

The Board restored the 70 percent rating for acquired psychiatric disorder, but no higher, effective August 1, 2023. The claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation higher than 50 percent.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 31, 2014, for the award of service connection for a psychiatric disability based on newly received relevant service department records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for persistent depressive disorder and entitlement to TDIU, as there was no evidence showing that these conditions were related to his military service or that they rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on housebound status after December 31, 2023, as there was no single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent.

The Board denied the claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of the bilateral lower extremities, as there was no evidence that a service-connected disability caused or contributed to the Veteran's double amputation.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all pending issues, indicating satisfaction with the current ratings and effective dates.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as mood depressive disorder, due to the evidence being at least evenly balanced. The claims for left knee strain with medial collateral ligament sprain, right knee strain with medial collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder disability, and right hip disability were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and a recurrent headache disability to allow for further development of the record.

The appeal for service connection for migraines was granted, while the claims for bruxism and earlier effective dates were denied. The appeal for depression was dismissed, but an initial rating of 30 percent disabled for vertigo was granted.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, dizziness, and skin lesions on the neck as there was no evidence of a current disability during or related to service.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities of pes planus and hearing loss.

The Board granted a higher initial disability rating of 70 percent for the service-connected depression, an earlier effective date of August 28, 2013, for TDIU and DEA benefits.

The appeal regarding the proposal to reduce the evaluation of service-connected major depressive disorder has been withdrawn and dismissed.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 70 percent rating for unspecified anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, as it was not factually ascertainable until August 8, 2023.

The Board granted an effective date of January 31, 2022 for a 70 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.