Depression decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for service connection for fallen arches/pes planus/plantar fasciitis with arthritic changes and denies the petition to readjudicate the claims for service connection for antisocial personality disorder and PTSD with major depressive disorder.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for major depressive disorder to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeal was dismissed as the Veteran did not timely file a Board Appeal request for the July 2019 rating decision that denied service connection for depression.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, and poly substance abuse disorder, based on the Veteran's reported military sexual trauma.

The appeal regarding the proposed reduction in evaluation of persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress is dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board remands the increased rating claims for major depressive disorder with anxious distress to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and a depressive disorder, but denied service connection for left lower extremity restless leg syndrome, right lower extremity restless leg syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome, and other conditions. The decision also remanded several claims for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, alcohol abuse, a liver disability, and hand and eye disabilities, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or secondary to any service-connected condition.

The Board denied an effective date prior to December 7, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD and denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. However, it granted service connection for MDD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, and assigned an initial rating of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. Other claims were denied.

The Board denied an initial increased rating for the acquired psychiatric condition and sickle cell retinopathy, but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective March 23, 2022, and special monthly compensation based on housebound status effective August 14, 2023.

The appeal, including claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for hypothyroidism, service connection for persistent depressive disorder, and sleep apnea, was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board granted restoration of the 70% rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and service connection for depression and anxiety, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim for an allowance for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran due to his service-connected disabilities that have resulted in the effective loss or permanent loss of use in both lower extremities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to unspecified depressive disorder, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted a disability rating of 100 percent for the Veteran's psychiatric disability from December 1, 2024, to December 8, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and an increased initial rating of 30 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease with eosinophilic esophagitis, while denying increased ratings for chondromalacia patella of the left and right knees, a compensable rating for three surgical scars on the left lower extremity, major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and headaches. The Board also remanded several claims for further development.