Depression decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for the period on appeal prior to July 22, 2020, for major depressive disorder, PTSD and panic disorder without agoraphobia (psychiatric disability) but denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for psychiatric disability at any time during the appeal period.

The appeals for service connection for anxiety and depression have been withdrawn by the veteran.

The Board denied higher initial ratings for the thoracolumbar spine disability and right ankle disability, granted service connection for an acquired mental disorder as due to a service-connected disability, and dismissed the claim for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence that a service-connected disability contributed substantially to the overdose.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection and SMC, but denied an earlier effective date for DEA benefits.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, unspecified, a generalized anxiety disorder, and primary insomnia, due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted effective dates of September 25, 2009, for right knee bony joint enlargement and instability, and September 3, 2014, for other conditions including Graves' disease, avitaminosis, left knee bony joint enlargement, left knee instability, arthritis, diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD was granted, while other claims for increased ratings were denied or partially granted.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and denied service connection for sleep apnea and a low back condition.

The appeal for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, a recurrent jaw disability, a recurrent left wrist disability, a recurrent bladder disability, erectile dysfunction, and a psychiatric disability to include a depressive disorder and an adjustment disorder has been dismissed.

The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depression with anxious distress, panic disorder without agoraphobia, and general anxiety, as it requires a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed condition.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal for service connection and increased ratings due to untimely filing of the appeal requests.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and polysubstance dependence, as well as hypertension. The claims for peripheral neuropathy were remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, anxiety, and/or depression, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or persistent symptoms during the appeal period.

The Board granted service connection for right and left chronic achilles tendonitis, right and left hand rheumatoid arthritis, Steven Johnson Syndrome, and an initial rating of 70 percent for Other Specified Trauma and Stressor-related disorder. The back disability claim was denied.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including hand impairments, hearing loss, PTSD, depression, sleep apnea, shortness of breath, and GERD, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by active military service.

The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches and an initial evaluation of 20 percent, but no higher, for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), while denying service connection for dermatitis, tremors of the right hand, and other conditions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and denied service connection for sinusitis.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depression and PTSD, as there was no credible evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD during the appeal period and no sufficient evidence linking any other psychiatric disorder to active service.