The Board granted Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, which was linked directly to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's spouse and son provided credible reports that his depression, leading to suicide, was caused by circumstances related to his military service, including feelings of guilt about being away from his family during combat tours.
- Claimed conditions
- mixed anxiety and depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 11, 2025
- Citation
- A25033981
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 Board has denied service connection for multiple conditions and denied higher initial ratings for several service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder prior to January 24, 2025, and a 100 percent disability rating from January 24, 2025, onward.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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