Depression decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for 20 conditions including depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury, finding insufficient evidence of in-service incurrence or nexus. The Board remanded three conditions (back condition, left lower extremity neuropathy, and left leg condition) for further adjudication.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), based on evidence that the Veteran's symptoms developed during his time in service.

The Veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied due to her failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The appeal was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA).

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, due to a lack of credible evidence supporting his claimed in-service stressors and a diagnosis of PTSD that was not informed by the record.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder with anxious distress and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), based on the Veteran's in-service military sexual trauma.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for his service-connected major depressive disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for traumatic brain injury and denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and alcohol use disorder. The Board also denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis with deviated nasal septum.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, amphetamine use disorder in sustained remission, diabetes mellitus Type II, hyperhidrosis, migraines, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17.

The Board granted a rating of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, effective January 1, 2019.

The Board remands the case for a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spondylosis and bilateral knee strain.

The Board denied service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss, an increased rating for depressive disorder with anxiety disorder and insomnia, and an increased rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral flatfoot (pes planus) and right lower extremity radiculopathy were remanded.

The appeal for service connection for TBI was withdrawn by the Veteran, and the claims for service connection for psychiatric disorder and OSA were remanded.

The Board denied higher initial ratings for cervical strain, right shoulder strain, left knee strain with shin splints, and right knee strain with shin splints. However, it granted a 20 percent rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome and a 10 percent rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Service connection was also granted for major depressive disorder, recurrent episode, mild and generalized anxiety disorder (claimed as ADHD) and tinnitus.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for depressive disorder and earlier effective dates for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease on its own prevents him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, allowing for an earlier effective date of May 23, 2016 for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the statutory housebound criteria.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for alcohol use disorder (mild) and unspecified depressive disorder to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the onset of these conditions during active military service or their relation to in-service events, injuries, or diseases.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for major depressive disorder, among other issues. The decision also remanded several claims for further development.