The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for major depressive disorder due to new and material evidence. The acquired psychiatric disorder, including pervasive depressive disorder with anxious distress, major depressive episode, severe, with psychotic features, and alcohol use disorder in remission, is granted as incurred in or caused by military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found the February 2019 psychological assessment to be more probative than the January 2016 VA examination due to its consideration of all pertinent evidence including a videoconference with the Veteran and consistent with the Veteran's history of mental health symptoms during and after service.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder, pervasive depressive disorder with anxious distress, major depressive episode, severe, alcohol use disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20073135
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.
- Dismissed
The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a liver condition, finding it to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.
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