Depression decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders was granted, with a new effective date of February 28, 2024. The appeal is also granted as the appellant is eligible to receive attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent, and later in excess of 70 percent, for major depressive disorder is being remanded due to incomplete treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD with secondary depression has been granted a 100% rating, effective from the date of the August 2017 Rating Decision. The claim for special monthly compensation based on housebound status is remanded.

The Board has granted the restoration of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), effective May 1, 2020. The decision was made due to procedural errors in the previous termination decisions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder with depressive disorder and sleep disorder, is granted as secondary to service-connected disability. Service connection for acne is denied due to lack of aggravation during active service. The left knee condition is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for combined ratings in excess of 70 percent from October 29, 2013, to November 20, 2013, and in excess of 90 percent from February 23, 2016, to March 16, 2020, for his service-connected disabilities.

The appeal pertaining to the issues of asthma and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, due to service-connected lumbar spine disability is granted. The appeal regarding obstructive sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder and a thoracolumbar spine disability. The rating for major depressive disorder remains at 70 percent. TDIU during the appeal period is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to their death.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA examination, and the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is now pending.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for his depressive disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's service connection for chronic pneumonia and increased rating for major depression have been granted. The Veteran's sinus headaches are not rated higher than the current 30 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective November 21, 2024. The Board found that the earlier date of June 21, 2021, for service connection and July 19, 2022, for an increased rating were implicitly denied in prior decisions, thus denying a request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's tinnitus is not service-connected as it pre-existed his military service and was not aggravated by it.,There is no diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, or depression, during the appeal period. The Veteran has attended a support group for mental health issues but no formal diagnoses were made.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's obesity as a possible intermediate step in his development of obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain a retrospective opinion from an appropriate VA clinician regarding the severity of the appellant's service-connected PTSD with alcohol dependence and MDD for the period prior to April 11, 2019.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is granted, subject to regulations governing payment of monetary awards.

The Veteran was granted an earlier effective date of March 26, 2014 for the award of a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits. The Board found that she had been unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due solely to service-connected disabilities from March 26, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The Veteran contends that his current mental health conditions are related to a 1991 mid-air collision during service where multiple servicemembers died, including his good friend.