BVA decisions by condition
Unspecified depressive disorder: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a unspecified depressive disorder issue in 502 decisions. It granted the unspecified depressive disorder issue in 37.6% of them, above the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 43.4%, and remanded it in 19.9%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 46.4% were granted.
Decisions
502
2018–2026
Granted
37.6%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
46.4%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
19.9%
Denied: 43.4%
Unspecified depressive disorder outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 56 | 37.5% | 37.5% | 23.2% |
| 2023 | 66 | 37.9% | 47.0% | 19.7% |
| 2024 | 87 | 34.5% | 54.0% | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 118 | 47.5% | 37.3% | 16.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied unspecified depressive disorder decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the unspecified 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 | 95 | 73.8% | 39.3% | +34.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 68 | 68.3% | 42.7% | +25.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 214 | 53.3% | 39.9% | +13.4 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 57 | 51.4% | 45.9% | +5.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 47 | 43.9% | 46.7% | −2.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 460 | 45.6% | 61.9% | −16.3 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.4% of the decisions that granted unspecified depressive disorder.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 30.7% of grants and 11.5% 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 unspecified 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 | 234 | 39.0% | 51.4% | −12.4 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied unspecified depressive disorder
Most common reasons in grants
- Symptoms approximated 70% rating criteria3
- Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity3
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability3
- Suicidal ideation present3
- Symptoms approximated 70% criteria3
- Symptoms approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas3
- Symptoms approximated total occupational and social impairment3
- Deficiencies in most areas of occupational and social functioning3
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service15
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim14
- Symptoms did not meet criteria for 100% rating8
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis7
- Service records negative or silent6
- Symptoms approximated 30% rating criteria5
- Symptoms did not meet criteria for 70% rating4
- Symptoms more closely approximated 30% rating criteria3
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 unspecified depressive disorder decisions
Granted
Veteran had qualifying in-service psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, depression).; Conflicting VA medical opinions: July 2021 (unfavorable) vs. July 2025 (favorable).; July 2025 opinion found more probative for addressing full history, lay testimony, and continuity.; Evidence in approximate balance; benefit of doubt applied.; Grant based on unspecified depressive disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder.
Reduction of rating was improper; AOJ failed to demonstrate material improvement; Reduction based on single examination, not entire record
Evidence in approximate balance between 50% and 70% ratings; Benefit of the doubt applied to grant 70% rating; Symptoms characteristic of 70% rating (deficiencies in most areas) found to be more applicable than 50% rating (reduced reliability/productivity)
Denied
Symptoms align with 30% rating criteria (depressed mood, anxiety, sleep impairment, mild memory loss).; Veteran did not display symptoms for 50% rating (flattened affect, panic attacks, impaired memory/judgment).; Supported relationships and intact judgment/thinking despite subjective complaints.
Service treatment records silent for psychiatric complaints.; VA examinations provided negative nexus opinions.; Examiners found veteran did not meet DSM-5 criteria for PTSD.; Examiners found substance use disorders less likely than not related to in-service assault.; Board found VA opinions persuasive and assigned greater weight.; Weight of evidence against service connection.
Veteran's statements regarding symptom onset and history varied.; Service records do not document in-service mental health treatment.; Veteran's claimed in-service stressors were inconsistent and not credible.
Rules that apply to unspecified 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 unspecified 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 unspecified 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.