Depression decisions — 2025

The Board granted an effective date of November 29, 2022, for the 60 percent rating of asthma and COPD with chronic bronchiolitis but denied other claims related to increased ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder to obtain a new medical opinion, as the previous VA examination and private report were found inadequate.

The Board granted service connection for hearing loss and an effective date of April 19, 2022, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for GERD. The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, erectile dysfunction, and back disability.

The Board granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher, for the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran not timely filing a Board Appeal request.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's depressive disorder, fibromyalgia, sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (LLE), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and tension headaches. The Board also denied service connection for fatigue.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's low back pain, major depressive disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and a disability rating of 30 percent for migraine headaches.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a 100 percent disability rating for generalized anxiety disorder to include major depressive disorder, finding that it was not factually ascertainable based on all evidence of record that an increase in disability had occurred within one year prior to August 12, 2021.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder mixed with depression was granted a 70 percent rating from July 23, 2022.

The Veteran's service connection for allergic rhinitis was granted, while the claims for temporomandibular joint disorder, vertigo, insomnia (also claimed as depression), and hemorrhoids were denied. The Board also remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and recurrent lower extremity disabilities to ensure that there is a complete record upon which to decide the claim.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder. The appeal for entitlement to service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was dismissed.

The Board granted service connection for left knee, right knee, lumbosacral strain, and right hand scars, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, tension headaches, shoulder bursitis, foot plantar fasciitis, ankle tendonitis, thumb strain, and PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder. The Board also remanded claims for fatigue, CFS, sleep apnea, and amputated left little finger.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his psychiatric disorder and lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than those currently assigned.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent for major depressive disorder, effective from the date of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension, but granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc disease (IVDS).

The Board denied service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, hearing loss, and various other conditions as the evidence did not support a finding of direct or secondary causation to active service.

The Board granted service connection for insomnia and remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, MDD, and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood due to an inadequate VA examination.