BVA decisions by condition
Mental disorders: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a mental disorders issue in 526 decisions. It granted the mental disorders issue in 14.6% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 19.0%, and remanded it in 59.3%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 43.5% were granted.
Decisions
526
2017–2026
Granted
14.6%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
43.5%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
59.3%
Denied: 19.0%
Mental disorders outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 189 | 6.9% | 17.5% | 64.6% |
| 2018 | 185 | 14.6% | 20.0% | 57.3% |
| 2019 | 91 | 18.7% | 13.2% | 64.8% |
Evidence in granted and denied mental disorders decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the mental disorders 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 | 72 | 90.0% | 29.9% | +60.1 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 46 | 86.7% | 34.7% | +52.0 pts |
| Combat service | 70 | 57.1% | 41.7% | +15.5 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 134 | 50.0% | 40.5% | +9.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 417 | 41.6% | 53.6% | −12.0 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 99 | 31.0% | 45.9% | −14.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.5% of the decisions that granted mental disorders.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 36.4% of grants and 13.0% 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 mental disorders 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 318 | 40.7% | 52.4% | −11.6 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 208 | 36.7% | 50.6% | −13.9 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied mental disorders
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established6
- New and material evidence submitted2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis17
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim10
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service8
- Service records negative or silent6
- Current diagnosis established5
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis4
- Criteria for service connection not met3
- Symptoms do not meet criteria for 50% or higher rating2
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 mental disorders decisions
Granted
Holistic analysis of all associated symptoms considered.; Evidence in relative equipoise; reasonable doubt resolved in Veteran's favor.; Veteran's testimony and private psychiatric report estimated total impairment.
Private examiner found disorder related to active service; Examiner provided sufficient rationale; No probative contrary medical opinions
Recent treatment records show gross impairment of thought processes; Inability to perform activities of daily living; Significant memory loss consistent with 100% rating
Denied
Veteran already assigned maximum 100% rating; No basis for rating in excess of maximum
No current diagnosis of acquired psychiatric disability; Symptoms reported were mild and not clinically significant; Medical evidence did not meet DSM-5 diagnostic criteria
Service treatment records showed no psychiatric issues at entry.; In-service hospitalization for situational stress reaction in 1972.; Post-service VA examinations consistently denied depression/anxiety and showed satisfactory functioning.; Private opinion lacked supporting rationale and treatment history.; VA examiner's opinion found symptoms contemplated by existing major depressive disorder.
Rules that apply to mental disorders 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 mental disorders 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 mental disorders 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 (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.