Depression decisions — 2026

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent effective May 1, 2018. A TDIU based solely on PTSD is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder, which was previously denied. The Veteran's PTSD is already service-connected and rated at 50%.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to a verified in-service stressor and grants service connection for PTSD with anxiety and depression.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder and insomnia, is denied. The Board found the evidence insufficient to establish a link between these conditions and service.,Service connection for PTSD is denied. The Board determined that there was no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors related to combat or fear of hostile military activity.,Service connection for left leg disability is remanded, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 29, 2007 for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from May 25, 2010. The case is remanded for additional development regarding the compensable rating for bilateral cholesteatoma.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as his lumbar spine disorder. The Board found the evidence in balance regarding whether these conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is rated at a higher initial rating of 70 percent, effective from September 30, 2015 to May 10, 2023. The lumbar spine disability and left knee disability are denied for the respective periods, while the left foot disability receives a higher initial rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depression Disorder is rated at 100% for the duration of the period on appeal, granting a total disability rating. The issue of TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the award of a 100% rating. SMC at the housebound rate is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD was denied as there were no pending unadjudicated claims and the August 2006 rating decision is final.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to his service-connected mental health disability, with obesity as an intermediate step. The decision is based on evidence that suggests the Veteran's OSA was caused by his service-connected mental health disability and obesity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing due to his inability to use both upper or lower extremities, blindness in both eyes, or full thickness burns. The Board finds that his Hodgkin's lymphoma does not cause loss of use of any extremity.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder was caused by service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a TDIU, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not become worse within one year prior to July 24, 2013 and thus no earlier effective date is warranted.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a TDIU, finding that the Veteran has not been unable to secure or follow any substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disability since September 16, 2012.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PDD, SSD, and MDD, is related to service and secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is due, at least in part, to his service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome, allergic rhinitis, and mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. Therefore, the Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates have been dismissed as the benefits sought on appeal have already been granted in full.,Service connection has not been established for GERD, left ear hearing loss, or right lower extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is proximately due to his service connected disabilities, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.