Qualifying for a VA Rating for Depression

By Telemedica

8/1/2025

Mental Health

Nexus Letter

Veteran Resources

If you’re a veteran experiencing depression, you may be eligible for VA disability compensation (even if your symptoms began after service). Depression is a serious medical condition that can significantly impact your daily functioning, relationships, and ability to work.

You may qualify for a VA rating for depression from 0% to 100%, depending on symptom severity and the strength of evidence linking it to your service.

In this guide, we explain how the VA evaluates depression claims, what rating criteria are used, and what medical evidence, such as a nexus letter or DBQ, you’ll need to support a successful claim.

Key Takeaways

VA ratings for depression range from 0% to 100%, depending on severity.

Conditions like PTSD, chronic pain, and TBI can cause or worsen depression and thus qualify depression as a secondary service-connected disorder.

The VA requires a clear connection (i.e., nexus) between your current diagnosis and military service.

A nexus letter from a licensed provider serves as proof of a medical nexus and can significantly strengthen your claim.

Depression in Veterans

If you’re struggling with mental health symptoms that began or worsened during your time in the military, you may qualify for VA disability for depression.

Depression is a serious and often overlooked condition that can significantly affect a veteran’s ability to work, maintain relationships, and manage daily life.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), commonly referred to as depression, is more than occasional sadness.

It can involve symptoms such as persistent fatigue, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. These symptoms often interfere with daily functioning and can become disabling.

A 2023 study found that among veterans, the prevalence of major depressive symptoms was 31%—two to five times higher than in the general U.S. population.

These elevated rates are often linked to the unique stressors and traumatic experiences associated with military service.

Common Causes of Depression

There are several common causes or contributing factors that commonly impact depression, such as chronic pain or illness, substance use, or hormone imbalances.

Veterans are often at high risk of depression due to military-related factors that often precipitate or worsen depression in veterans, including:

Separation from loved ones and support network

Extended deployments and time away from family, which often cause feelings of isolation and loneliness (known to increase the risk of depression significantly)

Exposure to combat and other traumatic events

Experiencing or witnessing life-threatening situations

Challenges transitioning to civilian life after military separation (leading to identity loss, purposelessness), which may trigger or worsen depression

Physical injuries (e.g., traumatic brain injury, or other injuries)

Chronic (i.e., long-term) pain, such as from trauma

Substance use disorder (SUD), veterans may use alcohol or drugs to cope with stress, loneliness, lack of social support, and trauma; SUD is a contributing factor in depression.

Other mental health conditions, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may cause or contribute to depression.

Depression VA Ratings

The VA disability rating for depression is based on the level of social and occupational impairment caused by its symptoms. Ratings are assigned under Diagnostic Code (DC) 9434 – under § 4.130 Schedule of ratings and range from 0% to 100%.

DC 9434, Major depressive disorder	VA Rating for Depression
Severe impairment, frequent panic attacks, suicidal ideation, inability to maintain relationships. Total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as: Ongoing delusions (a false or paranoid untrue belief) or hallucinations (hearing, smelling, or seeing something that isn’t real) for MDD with psychotic features Persistent danger to self or others Severely inappropriate behavior Intermittent inability to perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or cooking. Disorientation to person, place, or time (not being able to recall one’s name or the name of a close relative, where one lives or works, or a relative notion of the month or year)	100%
Severe impairment of occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to depression, which impacts the ability to function independently, appropriately, and effectively, and symptoms such as: Suicidal ideation Neglect of personal appearance and hygiene Difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a work-like setting) Inability to establish and maintain effective relationships	70%
Occupational and social impairment with difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, reduced reliability, and work productivity due to symptoms of depression, such as: Flattened affect (i.e., a significant reduction or absence of emotional expression) Short or long-term memory impairment (e.g., forgetting to complete tasks, trouble retaining learned material) Impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking Disturbances of motivation and mood	50%
Occupational and social impairment with an occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform work-related tasks due to symptoms of depression (e.g., chronic sleep problems, depressed mood, etc.) But generally functioning adequately (regarding behavior, self-care, and communication).	30%
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms that decrease the ability to work (i.e., perform occupational tasks) efficiently only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled (i.e., reduced to a manageable level) by continuous medication.	10%
A mental condition, such as depression, has been formally diagnosed via a current diagnosis (which must be performed by a licensed mental health professional). However, symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication (such as prescription antidepressants).	0%

Note: The VA criteria in the above table reflect a diagnosis of depression. If you have depression and anxiety, or other mental health co-occurring disorders, see the full criteria under the VA’s § 4.130 Schedule of ratings—mental disorders.

Upcoming VA Rating for Depression Changes

To improve accuracy and reflect modern clinical practices, the VA is updating how it evaluates all mental health conditions, including depression. The new system will focus on how your symptoms impact daily life and your ability to work, not just your current diagnosis.

View our guide to Upcoming VA Mental Health Rating Changes HERE.

How to Prove Service Connection for Depression

Veterans filing a VA claim for depression must meet a few specific criteria to establish service connection. While it may seem straightforward, this is the step of the claims process in which many veterans are denied benefits simply because they didn’t submit enough of the right kind of evidence.

Understanding what the VA looks for and how to present your case is key to getting your VA disability for depression approved.

To qualify for a VA rating for depression, you must meet three basic criteria as follows.

A Current Medical Diagnosis: You must have a documented current diagnosis of depression from a licensed mental health provider.

Evidence of an In-Service Event, Injury, or Illness: You need to show that something happened during your military service that could have triggered or worsened your condition.

A Medical Nexus: A medical nexus links your current diagnosis to an in-service incident or event.

Did you know? Unlike PTSD and other claims, veterans don’t need to establish a traumatic event (a “stressor”) to qualify for service connection for depression.

Primary Service Connection

Primary service connection means your depression started during your military service or was directly caused by your time in the military.

Factors linked to primary service connection might include:

Experiencing trauma during combat

Military sexual trauma (MST)

Physical injury or chronic pain from service

Adjustment difficulties upon returning home

The in-service event or incident doesn’t have to be directly related to your military service; instead, it could simply pertain to difficulties you experienced when you served, such as being deployed overseas when a family member becomes ill or other personal problems.

You may be eligible for service connection, as long as the factors causing or contributing to your depression occurred during your military service.

Secondary Service Connection

A secondary service connection is when a disability is caused or worsened by another condition that the VA has already recognized as service connected.

If you’re already rated for a service-connected condition that contributes to your depression, you can file a VA claim for depression as a secondary condition.

Depression as a Secondary Condition

Depression is commonly caused by or worsened by physical, neurological conditions (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy), or other mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety disorder, PTSD, and SUD), many of which affect veterans.

Common conditions known to cause or worsen depression include:

PTSD (DC 9411) – Service-related trauma can trigger depression; it is rated at 0–100%.

Chronic Pain (no specific DC code) – Pain disrupts sleep and mood; ratings vary depending on various factors; the VA does not have a specific diagnostic code for chronic pain. Instead, it evaluates the impact of chronic pain on functional capacity and related impairments.

Traumatic Brain Injury (DC 8045) – TBI often adversely impacts mood and brain chemistry, resulting in depression; it is rated at 0–100%.

Parkinson’s Disease (DC 8004) – The neurological impact of Parkinson’s often causes depression; it is rated at 30–100%, depending on complications from the disorder.

Diabetes (DC 7913) – Diabetes is linked to an increased risk of depression; it is rated at 10–100%.

Nexus Letter for Depression

A nexus letter is a professional medical statement linking your depression to your military service or to another condition the VA has already deemed service connected.

An effective nexus letter must include:

Your current medical diagnosis

A review of your medical and service records

A professional opinion stating your depression is “at least as likely as not” related to service

The licensed, trusted professionals at Telemedica can provide you with a nexus letter, paving the way to the benefits you rightfully deserve.

Get a Nexus Letter

VA DBQ for Depression and Anxiety

A disability benefits questionnaire (DBQ) is a standardized VA form allowing healthcare providers to submit detailed medical evidence for certain disorders.

These forms are specific to individual diagnoses, including a mental health DBQ, which is used to evaluate depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

DBQs can provide valuable information about the severity and frequency of your depression and anxiety symptoms, how your condition impacts your occupational and social functioning, and other relevant information for demonstrating the connection between your depression/anxiety and your military service.

A qualified contracted VA or civilian mental health provider completes the depression/anxiety DBQs, ensuring accurate and relevant information is included in your disability claim.

Get a DBQ

Value of a Lay Statement or Buddy Letter for a Depression VA Claim

A lay statement or buddy letter is a written testimony from someone who knows you, often a family member or fellow service member.

This letter describes what your “buddy” has witnessed about your mental health symptoms and how those symptoms have affected your work, social interaction, or daily life.

These statements are helpful when medical records are limited or if your depression symptoms started during service but were never formally documented.

What a lay statement or buddy letter can do:

Confirm behavioral changes

Describe visible symptoms like isolation, anger, or sadness

Support claims by showing consistent, ongoing impairment

What a lay statement or buddy letter cannot do:

Provide a medical diagnosis

Serve as a nexus, formally linking your depression to military service (that’s the purpose of a Nexus Letter)

Buddy Letter Example

“My name is John Smith, and I served with [veteran’s name] in the U.S. Army from 2005 to 2008 at [name of military base]. I remember that after our second deployment, [veteran’s name] became withdrawn and stopped participating in activities he once enjoyed. He had trouble sleeping and seemed increasingly anxious. Over time, [veteran’s name]’s mood worsened. I stayed in touch with him after discharge and noticed the symptoms didn’t get better—they seemed to worsen. It is my observation that [veteran’s name]’s depression started during his military service and has deeply affected his life ever since.”

C&P Exam for Depression

The compensation and pension (C&P) exam is a key part of your depression VA claim.

During this exam, a VA provider will:

Review your symptoms

Assess your functional limitations

Ask about your work and social history

Fill out a DBQ or summary for rating purposes

Conclusion

Depression is a serious and often misunderstood condition that can deeply impact every part of a veteran’s life.

Whether your depression began during service or developed later due to PTSD, chronic pain, or another condition, you may qualify for VA disability compensation.

The key to a successful claim is strong medical evidence, a clear diagnosis, and service connection. With the right documentation and medical evidence, you can build a strong case for the VA rating you deserve.

Medical Evidence Wins VA Claims

Did you know that a lack of medical evidence is the #1 reason VA disability claims are denied?

Medical evidence is a crucial piece of the puzzle that VA raters consider when reviewing a disability claim. Telemedica provides solutions for veterans looking to bolster their claims through high-quality medical evidence that wins claims!

Schedule your 20-minute consultation, get answers for your service-connected disability, and start on your path to well-being.

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION CALL

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get VA disability for depression?

Yes. Veterans can receive a VA disability rating for depression if it is service connected, either as a primary or secondary condition.

What is the VA rating for depression and anxiety?

VA ratings for depression and anxiety range from 0% to 100%, with breaks at 10%, 30%, 50%, and 70%, depending on how much the condition interferes with occupational or social functioning.

What is the average VA rating for depression?

The average VA depression rating is 70%.

Can depression be rated secondary to PTSD?

Yes, if both are currently diagnosed. However, when it comes to VA ratings for mental health disorders, they are considered together under the general rating table for mental health conditions. In this scenario, the VA will assign a single disability rating that considers the combined impact of each mental health condition.

Can I get a higher VA rating if depression worsens my other conditions?

Yes. Depression that worsens conditions such as chronic pain, insomnia, or other service-connected issues may justify secondary claims and higher VA ratings.