The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for major depressive disorder, and after considering all of the evidence of record, including VA outpatient treatment records and a medical opinion, the Veteran's major depressive disorder is at least in equipoise as to having its onset or being aggravated during military service. Therefore, service connection for major depressive disorder is granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim, and after considering all of the medical opinions provided, including one stating it was possible that the Veteran's major depressive disorder may have begun in adolescence with the death of his father and was aggravated by service, the Board determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's major depressive disorder had its onset or was aggravated during military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2014
- Citation
- 1450230
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 1450230.
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.
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- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a 70 percent disability rating for his psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with MDD and anxiety, has been granted. However, the issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to procedural issues.
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