The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe is granted. The Board finds the evidence in at least approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's MDD had its onset during his period of active service and grants this claim. However, the issues regarding a disability rating for lumbosacral degenerative arthritis and paraspinal muscular strain, service connection for a right foot disability, effective dates for temporary total evaluations, and noncompensable rating for lumbar scar are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether the Veteran's major depressive disorder had its onset during his period of active service. The issues related to a disability rating, service connection, effective dates, and noncompensable rating are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2023
- Citation
- 23041818
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 23041818.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe has prevented her from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment for the period from April 28, 2003, to May 31, 2004.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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