Depression decisions — 2026

The Veteran's insomnia disorder with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and major depressive disorder is related to his active service. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression. The decision finds that his current symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a lung disability, and a stomach disability. The low back disability claim is remanded.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, which is secondary to service-connected systemic lupus erythematosus, was granted a 10 percent evaluation prior to May 10, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and development to determine the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability, including any other diagnosed conditions, and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD results in occupational and social impairment, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed because the claim had already been granted in an earlier decision.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD and alcohol use disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that he does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to service connection and disability evaluations, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, bilateral shin splints, hypertension (HTN), left hip condition, left knee condition, lumbar spine condition, right hip condition, and right knee condition.

The Veteran's MDD was rated at 70% prior to May 7, 2021. From May 7, 2021, to May 14, 2021, he received a 100% rating for his MDD. Since then, the rating has been reduced back to 70%. The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of depressive disorder due to another medical condition is denied as the October 2022 Intent to File does not apply to this claim, and the claim was not continuously pursued.

The Veteran's TBI with depressive disorder and adjustment disorder is rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with insomnia disorder is rated at 50 percent, which reflects the severity of his symptoms such as persistent middle insomnia, depressed mood, and difficulty in establishing effective work and social relationships. The Board found that these symptoms more closely approximate a 50% rating rather than higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his depressive disorder associated with other trauma and stressor-related disorder was granted, but the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected depressive disorder was also granted. The Veteran is now rated at 70 percent for his depression, effective from January 25, 2024.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder, is rated at 100 percent effective from April 6, 2012.

The Veteran's cervical disorder, diagnosed as cervical spondylosis (cervical degenerative joint disease), mechanical cervical pain, foraminal stenosis/central stenosis, cervical sprain/strain, radiculopathy, and ankylosis of the cervical spine is granted.,The Veteran's major depressive disorder and PTSD are both granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bipolar disorder and depression, finding that there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to have begun during his honorable period of service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and acquired psychiatric disorder to include major depressive disorder have been granted. However, the effective date remains pending as it is related to a separate claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus.