BVA decisions by condition
Major depressive disorder: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a major depressive disorder issue in 21,389 decisions. It granted the major depressive disorder issue in 36.4% of them, above the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 26.6%, and remanded it in 34.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 57.8% were granted.
Decisions
21,389
2018–2026
Granted
36.4%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
57.8%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
34.6%
Denied: 26.6%
Major depressive disorder outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 3,637 | 29.8% | 28.0% | 37.6% |
| 2019 | 3,160 | 35.1% | 26.1% | 36.7% |
| 2020 | 2,354 | 36.1% | 27.1% | 35.9% |
| 2021 | 1,949 | 36.3% | 26.7% | 34.8% |
| 2022 | 1,945 | 36.5% | 22.2% | 38.9% |
| 2023 | 2,282 | 36.2% | 22.6% | 39.0% |
| 2024 | 2,568 | 40.0% | 26.7% | 31.9% |
| 2025 | 2,568 | 41.3% | 31.0% | 25.8% |
| 2026 | 926 | 45.4% | 28.7% | 23.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied major depressive disorder decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the major depressive disorder issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 5,541 | 86.6% | 43.0% | +43.6 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 3,724 | 79.9% | 50.9% | +29.0 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 4,965 | 76.4% | 52.6% | +23.8 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 8,505 | 68.8% | 48.1% | +20.7 pts |
| Buddy statement | 709 | 75.8% | 57.1% | +18.7 pts |
| Combat service | 1,192 | 73.9% | 56.6% | +17.3 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 1,889 | 67.6% | 56.5% | +11.1 pts |
| Lay statement | 17,638 | 57.1% | 62.7% | −5.7 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.5% of the decisions that granted major depressive disorder.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 36.0% of grants and 11.3% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often major depressive disorder was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 9,721 | 56.7% | 58.7% | −2.0 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 15,686 | 55.2% | 68.7% | −13.5 pts |
Major depressive disorder claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where major depressive disorder was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied major depressive disorder
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established842
- Caused by the service-connected disability514
- Service connection established173
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability167
- Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas72
- Criteria for service connection met64
- Symptoms approximated 70% rating criteria58
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service52
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim627
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service369
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis314
- No current diagnosis309
- Service records negative or silent309
- Current diagnosis established145
- Symptoms did not meet criteria for 100% rating72
- Symptoms did not meet criteria for 70% rating56
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent major depressive disorder decisions
Granted
Evidence in equipoise regarding total occupational and social impairment; Persistent hallucinations noted in VA treatment records and examinations; Benefit of the doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
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.
Current disability established by RO's favorable finding based on June 2021 private exam.; In-service event established by June 2021 private examiner's opinion that MDD began during active duty.; Nexus to service established by June 2021 private examiner's opinion linking MDD to active duty and chronic continuation to present.
Denied
Symptoms contemplated within existing unspecified anxiety disorder rating; No indication of separate psychiatric disability not already compensated; Depressive disorder diagnosis not separately adjudicated
No competent evidence of current mental health diagnosis; VA examiner found no DSM-5 diagnosis; Veteran reported only mild, transient anxiety symptoms; No current treatment for mental health conditions
Service treatment records negative for mental health complaints/diagnoses during service.; Separation psychiatric evaluation normal; Veteran denied mental health history.; Symptoms of depression and anxiety began post-service.; C&P examiner opined conditions less likely than not due to service.
Rules that apply to major depressive disorder claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your major depressive disorder case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a major depressive disorder issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.