The Board remands the claim for a new VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's major depressive disorder (MDD) is related to his service-connected disabilities on a secondary basis.
The deciding factor: A previous medical opinion was found inadequate due to inaccurate factual premises and failure to consider all relevant factors, including the Veteran's lay statements regarding how his service-connected conditions contribute to his depression.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25052714
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include major depressive disorder (MDD), due to several pre-decisional duty to assist omissions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, MDD, and alcohol use disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and tinnitus.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for major depressive disorder, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and a gastrointestinal disability due to untimeliness of the VA Form 10182. The appeal for service connection for sarcoidosis was denied based on the lack of evidence supporting a current disability.
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