The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD) as it is proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected right knee chondromalacia with pain.
The deciding factor: The March 2024 and May 2024 VA examiners' opinions support that the Veteran's MDD is proximately due to his service-connected right knee chondromalacia with pain, as chronic knee pain is a risk factor for depression and the Veteran began reporting symptoms of depression in early 2021.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25053509
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.
- 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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