The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress and panic disorder, was denied in June 2015. The Veteran did not appeal this decision. In August 2017, the VA treatment records from April 2015 to August 2017 were considered but deemed not new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim for service connection was readjudicated again in August 2017, where it was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. New and material evidence submitted by the Veteran within one year of the August 2017 rating decision (November 2017 and August 2018 VA treatment records) were not considered as they did not contain information that was previously not considered, thus not meeting the criteria for new and material evidence. The Board found that the June 2015 and August 2017 rating decisions are final and an earlier effective date is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The VA treatment records submitted by the Veteran within one year of the August 2017 rating decision were deemed not new and material evidence as they did not contain information that was previously not considered, thus not meeting the criteria for new and material evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- anxiety, depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2026
- Citation
- A26003507
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 A26003507.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to July 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. For TDIU, the Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities but his education and work experience were sufficient for sedentary or light labor employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to September 27, 2017. From September 27, 2017, the rating for depression increased to 70 percent.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
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