Depression decisions — 2026

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, lumbosacral strain, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The private clinician provided a medical opinion supporting this finding.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a sleep disorder is dismissed. An initial evaluation of 70 percent, but no higher, is granted for major depressive disorder. Service connection for lumbar spine and bilateral leg disabilities remains remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to her not requiring personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on an inability to perform one or more activities of daily living, a need for supervision or protection, or a need for regular or extensive instruction without which the ability to function in daily life would be seriously impaired.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with MDD, OCD, and substance use disorders results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. Service connection for these conditions is granted on a secondary basis.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including depression, OSA, IBS, foot disorders, joint pain, muscle pain, asthma, headaches, eye disorders, ear disorder, sinus disorder, heart disorder, angina, and GERD. The Board found no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including neck disability, depressive disorder, dizziness and giddiness, erectile dysfunction, esophageal reflux, monoclonal gammopathy, left upper extremity ulnar neuropathy, and right upper extremity ulnar neuropathy. The evidence does not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing VA and private treatment records, incomplete examination, and failure to address all claimed conditions. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are being evaluated again for service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss are denied. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of December 1, 2013.

The Veteran was granted an earlier effective date of March 25, 2022 for a TDIU and DEA based on his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again with a focus on whether any pre-existing conditions clearly and unmistakably existed prior to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder was granted with an effective date of November 14, 2022. Her claim for diverticulitis with irritable bowel syndrome/diarrhea, status post gallbladder removal, was also granted but with a later effective date of August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and ADHD, is rated at 70 percent effective September 14, 2021. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder, to include anxiety and depression, should be remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination prior to making a decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, specifically PTSD and Depression. The VA examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to service, caused by a service-connected condition, or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depression and dementia with insomnia, was found to not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating of at least 100 percent. The symptoms did not cause total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to a duty to assist error, and will consider any additional evidence submitted when the claim is readjudicated.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression due to tinnitus, was dismissed previously. The Board finds that the current claim is a supplemental claim and remands it back to the AOJ for adjudication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD, anxiety, and depression), hypertension, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a 100% rating for PTSD with unspecified neurocognitive disorder and major depressive disorder, recurrent episode is granted. The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is also granted.