The Board finds that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia, is related to his military service. The Board concludes that all reasonable doubt has been resolved in favor of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The March 2006 VA examination report provided a detailed analysis of the Veteran's mental health history, concluding that it is less likely as not that the current psychiatric disabilities were caused by or related to anxiety reaction or chronic anxiety during service. However, the Board found this opinion inadequate due to its lack of discussion on whether the in-service stressors were the source of the development of the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder and the evidence showing continued suffering from anxiety following service.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Panic disorder with agoraphobia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2010
- Citation
- 1043345
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1043345.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, as secondary to his already service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service harassment. Service connection was denied for a binge eating disorder as there is no evidence of such a condition.
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