The Board denied service connection for depression and anxiety, but remanded claims for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), headaches, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma due to a need for additional evidence.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record does not support the presence of current diagnoses of depression or anxiety. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms were subclinical and normative reactions to his medical conditions, and there was no competent medical evidence supporting these claims.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), headaches, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25030133
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent disability rating for unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder with major depressive disorder, recurrent, and alcohol use disorder in early remission, as well as TDIU due to asthma and SMC at the housebound rate.
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