Depression decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, denied an increased rating for PTSD with other specified depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and remanded claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for migraine headaches and service connection for traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied an increased rating for PTSD and denied service connection for left and right lower extremity radicular pain, paresthesia, chronic fatigue syndrome, other unspecified depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. However, the Board granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, specifically PTSD, due to a lack of credible evidence supporting the occurrence of in-service stressors and a link between current symptoms and service.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for Unspecified Depressive Disorder with Alcohol Use Disorder and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of an earlier effective date, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and an increased rating for gout.

The appeal seeking an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, an initial rating higher than 10 percent for eczema, and service connection for depression was dismissed due to a procedural defect.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypersomnia, hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by obtaining any outstanding private treatment records.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, as well as a depressive disorder and an anxiety disorder, due to incomplete development of the Veteran's stressors and the need for a new examination.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of July 27, 2020, for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board granted service connection for an anxiety/depression condition and a 40 percent rating for the lumbosacral strain, while remanding the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that no new and relevant evidence had been submitted to warrant a different effective date.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected lumbar disc disease process disability alone from March 30, 2020, and special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114 (s) based on housebound status from July 11, 2022.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depression and granted a TDIU. The appeal was denied for increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected depression, left foot condition, and right foot condition.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically major depressive disorder, but denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board granted service connection for depression and right knee disability, while denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral pes planus or flat feet.

The appeal was granted, restoring service connection for atrial fibrillation (AFIB) effective August 21, 2019. The claim for an earlier effective date for hypertension was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected depression has prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since January 1, 2009.

The Board granted a higher initial disability rating of 70 percent for the service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for kidney disease, immune disorder, and major depressive disorder to correct a duty assist error and obtain an addendum opinion.