Depression decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including whether it is related to service.

The Board dismissed the appeal of a proposed reduction in disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder from 70% to 50%. The decision is based on the fact that the proposed reduction did not contain a final determination and was therefore not an actionable issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeals for service connection for anxiety, anger management (diagnosed as major depressive disorder), fatty liver, traumatic brain injury, and bilateral hand dupuytren's contracture due to untimely filing of appeal requests.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress and alcohol disorder with pathological gambling, results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The rating for the psychiatric disability is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of major depressive disorder was denied in July 2019. He filed a new intent to file on May 9, 2024, and the VA granted service connection with an effective date of May 9, 2024. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depression and right knee osteoarthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, headaches, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathies. The appeals were remanded for additional development in some cases.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression and anxiety disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to consider all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to military service, as there was no evidence of auditory damage during service. The left knee disability is also not related to military service.,The Veteran's left hip disability, lumbar disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, and cesarean section scar were not related to military service.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, and his bilateral lower extremity sciatic and femoral nerve radiculopathy are each rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at a 50 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back pain, right knee pain, sleep apnea, anxiety, depression, blurry vision, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left shoulder rotator cuff, and right shoulder rotator cuff have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, the Board finds that there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, blurry vision, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left shoulder rotator cuff, and right shoulder rotator cuff have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service. The VA must obtain and consider any available VA treatment records from the 1980s, and provide an addendum opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased disability rating for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) have been dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied service connection for epilepsy and a low back disability.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of June 23, 2023, for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder was granted.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of prior to June 23, 2022, for multiple myeloma (also claimed as lytic lesions) was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the inextricability of issues regarding an effective date for SMC and TDIU. Additional development is needed, including requesting employment information from former employers.

The Veteran's service-connected depression with mood disorder is rated at 100 percent effective August 11, 2020. Additionally, the Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on his total disability rating due to a service-connected disability and additional disability rated as 60 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, characterized as generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, is granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent. However, the evidence does not support a finding of total occupational and social impairment at any point during the appellate period.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error by the AOJ, specifically for an addendum opinion that adequately addresses the appellant's lay statements regarding his in-service stressor and symptoms.