{"page":"https://casescribe.ai/explorer/secondary/major-depressive-disorder-secondary-to-tinnitus","generated_at":"2026-10-03T18:34:29.928Z","data_as_of":{"decisions":944125,"first_year":2017,"last_year":2026,"latest_decision":"2026-04-30","cfr":"2026-10-01","m21":"2026-09-29"},"about":{"publisher":"CaseScribe AI (VA Law Explorer)","source":"Public Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions (appeals of VA decisions, not VA's first decisions), M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, 38 CFR Parts 3 and 4.","method":"Outcomes are issue-level: each condition the Board decided in a decision counts once. Decision data is extracted by AI and can contain errors. Rates describe past appeals and do not predict any claim.","disclaimer":"For research only. CaseScribe AI is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Verify figures against the source decisions and regulations.","attribution":"Cite as: VA Law Explorer, CaseScribe AI, with the page URL."},"data":{"claim":"Major depressive disorder secondary to tinnitus","secondary_condition":"Major depressive disorder","service_connected_disability":"tinnitus","decisions":421,"years":"2017-2026","granted_pct":44.9,"denied_pct":13.3,"remanded_pct":39.2,"granted_on_merits_pct":77.1,"by_year":[{"year":2017,"issues":30,"granted_pct":43.3,"denied_pct":20,"remanded_pct":26.7},{"year":2018,"issues":52,"granted_pct":51.9,"denied_pct":11.5,"remanded_pct":34.6},{"year":2019,"issues":48,"granted_pct":60.4,"denied_pct":8.3,"remanded_pct":27.1},{"year":2020,"issues":38,"granted_pct":47.4,"denied_pct":7.9,"remanded_pct":44.7},{"year":2021,"issues":37,"granted_pct":43.2,"denied_pct":18.9,"remanded_pct":37.8},{"year":2022,"issues":39,"granted_pct":38.5,"denied_pct":15.4,"remanded_pct":43.6},{"year":2023,"issues":42,"granted_pct":50,"denied_pct":4.8,"remanded_pct":45.2},{"year":2024,"issues":43,"granted_pct":37.2,"denied_pct":20.9,"remanded_pct":41.9},{"year":2025,"issues":71,"granted_pct":36.6,"denied_pct":12.7,"remanded_pct":47.9},{"year":2026,"issues":23,"granted_pct":39.1,"denied_pct":17.4,"remanded_pct":34.8}],"benefit_of_doubt_in_grants_pct":73.5,"evidence_on_merits":[{"evidence":"va_exam_favorable","decisions_with":83,"granted_pct_with":93.5,"granted_pct_without":71.6},{"evidence":"va_exam_unfavorable","decisions_with":339,"granted_pct_with":72.3,"granted_pct_without":96},{"evidence":"nexus_positive","decisions_with":197,"granted_pct_with":96.8,"granted_pct_without":41.4},{"evidence":"nexus_negative","decisions_with":280,"granted_pct_with":72.3,"granted_pct_without":86},{"evidence":"private_opinion","decisions_with":238,"granted_pct_with":85.4,"granted_pct_without":58.1},{"evidence":"lay_statement","decisions_with":334,"granted_pct_with":74,"granted_pct_without":91.1}],"top_reasons":{"granted":[{"reason":"caused by the service-connected disability","decisions":35},{"reason":"current diagnosis established","decisions":28},{"reason":"service connection established","decisions":20},{"reason":"aggravated by the service-connected disability","decisions":17},{"reason":"va examiner: less likely than not related to service","decisions":3},{"reason":"criteria for service connection met","decisions":3}],"denied":[{"reason":"va examiner: less likely than not related to service","decisions":12},{"reason":"no current diagnosis","decisions":9},{"reason":"service records negative or silent","decisions":7},{"reason":"preponderance of the evidence against the claim","decisions":5},{"reason":"no in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis","decisions":2},{"reason":"depression in remission, symptoms mitigated by medication","decisions":1}]},"recent_examples":{"granted":[{"case_id":"A26040623","year":2026,"judge":"STEVEN V. ADLER","rationale":"Current diagnosis of major depressive disorder.; Service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.; Private medical opinion found it more likely than not that the psychiatric disorder is related to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus."},{"case_id":"A26036829","year":2026,"judge":"B. D. WATSON","rationale":"Favorable VA medical opinions; Mood disorder proximately due to tinnitus; Resolved doubt in Veteran's favor"},{"case_id":"A26033978","year":2026,"judge":"E. I. VELEZ","rationale":"Service-connected tinnitus; Lay evidence of sleeplessness and irritability; Private medical opinions noting association between tinnitus and depression/anxiety; Resolution of reasonable doubt in Veteran's favor"}],"denied":[{"case_id":"A26028881","year":2026,"judge":"K. CONNER","rationale":"Service treatment records negative for psychiatric disability.; Separation examination normal; denied psychiatric symptoms.; Post-service onset attributed to 1997 on-the-job injury.; Conflicting reports regarding symptom onset and cause.; VA psychiatric opinions found no nexus to service or service-… [truncated, 217 chars omitted]"},{"case_id":"A26020023","year":2026,"judge":"M. C. WILSON","rationale":"No objective clinical evidence of depression diagnosis; VA examiner diagnosed insomnia disorder, not depression; Private medical opinion lacked adequate rationale"},{"case_id":"A26017819","year":2026,"judge":"L.M. YASUI","rationale":"No separate psychiatric disorder diagnosed; Insomnia symptoms subsumed by OSA diagnosis; Evidence weighs against service connection"}]},"how_argued":{"note":"From keyword matches in each issue's AI summary and rationale, not the full decision. Only issues whose text names a medical link are counted under pathways; one issue can name several. A link named in a denial was often the argument the Board rejected.","issues":423,"aggravation_discussed":{"issues":167,"granted_pct":40.7},"causation_only":{"issues":256,"granted_pct":47.7},"issues_naming_a_pathway_pct":19.9,"pathways":[{"pathway":"Sleep disruption","issues":44,"granted_pct":43.2,"examples":[{"case_id":"A26000076","year":2026,"outcome":"GRANTED","quote":"Service connection for depressive disorder with insomnia was granted as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus."},{"case_id":"A26017819","year":2026,"outcome":"DENIED","quote":"Insomnia symptoms subsumed by OSA diagnosis"}]},{"pathway":"Stress","issues":27,"granted_pct":25.9,"examples":[{"case_id":"A25047120","year":2025,"outcome":"GRANTED","quote":"A 70% rating for depression was granted, finding that the Veteran's symptoms, including difficulty adapting to stress, depression, and exacerbation of mood and anxiety, more closely approximated the criteria for this rating."},{"case_id":"A25051440","year":2025,"outcome":"DENIED","quote":"Veteran's own treatment records link mental health issues to marital stress and alcohol abuse.."}]}]},"how_va_rates":null,"requirements":"38 CFR 3.310: a current diagnosis, a service-connected disability, and medical evidence that it caused (3.310(a)) or aggravated (3.310(b)) the condition."}}