Depression decisions — 2025

The Veteran is granted service connection for migraine headaches secondary to tinnitus, effective April 1, 2021. The claim for an earlier effective date for depressive disorder was denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical strain, major depressive disorder, right knee instability, and tinnitus due to an incomplete record of the Veteran's military service history.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and foot disabilities. The claim for NSC pension benefits was dismissed as moot due to a higher disability rating.

The Board granted an initial rating of 100 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder to include major depressive disorder (previously rated as PTSD) from March 23, 2022.

The claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, low back pain, and right shoulder pain are remanded due to a lack of adequate notice for VA examinations. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis are also remanded.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, on a secondary basis, due to the Veteran's service-connected conditions of hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral vestibular disorder with impaired balance associated with tinnitus, and headaches associated with tinnitus.

The Veteran was granted a 100 percent rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress, an effective date of January 2, 2024, for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), and Special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate from the same date. The appeal seeking entitlement to a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) was dismissed.

The Board remands the claims for service connection as it needs additional evidence and a medical examination to properly evaluate them.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder, based on new and relevant evidence.

The Board granted the restoration of service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and traumatic brain injury effective October 1, 2018.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for various conditions associated with a stroke, including obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that the Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress contributed substantially or materially to her death.

The Board granted an effective date of February 7, 2020, for the award of a 70 percent rating for unspecified depressive disorder and TDIU, but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety, depression, joint pains of the hands, a right knee condition, and a left knee condition as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right hip limitation of flexion, right hip pain, left hip pain, and major depressive disorder.

The Board granted an effective date of June 21, 2024, for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD).

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's current mental health issues are at least as likely as not related to anxiety experienced during his military service.

The Board granted an effective date of July 14, 2020, for the grant of service connection for IVDS with spinal fusion and lumbar disc disease with stenosis, as well as associated radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves of the left and right lower extremities, and depressive disorder.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder, as the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors were not credible.

The Board denied increased ratings for Parkinsonism and CAD, but granted SMC based on the loss of use of the hands and need for regular aid and attendance.