The Board granted a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder (MDD) based on the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms that cause occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms more closely approximate those associated with a 70 percent rating under the General Formula for Mental Disorders, including depressed mood, anxiety, chronic sleep impairment, flattened affect, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and suicidal ideation.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 11, 2025
- Citation
- A25107465
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 772 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25107465.
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 the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is found to have begun during their active duty service and continues to this day, meeting the criteria for service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder with TBI is rated at 70 percent, but the appeal for a higher rating is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her service-connected MDD with PTSD was denied. The evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment, despite the Veteran maintaining full-time employment.
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