The appeal for service connection of depression is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD and MDD (formerly depression) is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not timely file a Notice of Disagreement regarding the October 2020 decision denying service connection for depression, leading to the dismissal of this appeal. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD and MDD was also dismissed as it pertained to issues already addressed in previous decisions.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 11, 2026
- Citation
- A26012638
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 A26012638.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
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