The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for major depression, recurrent is denied. The claims for service connection for right and left lower sciatica, hearing loss, and tinnitus are dismissed.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support the conclusion that the Veteran's major depression results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas and the inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depression, Recurrent, Right and Left Lower Sciatica, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Left and Right Knee Disability (Secondary to Service-Connected Disability), Headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26011199
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 A26011199.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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