Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case for further development and review, including consideration of an earlier effective date for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the Board finds that her symptoms are not related to military service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied because the Veteran does not have a current disability. The Board notes that she did sustain acoustic trauma during active service, but this alone is not sufficient to establish service connection.,The Veteran's claim for PTSD due to MST is remanded as new evidence requires a review of her psychiatric symptoms under DSM-5 criteria.,Service connection for back disability is remanded as the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate and did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset and continuity of her back disability.,The Veteran's claim for sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, is remanded as no sleep study has been performed to diagnose sleep apnea. The Board also notes that more information is needed about the status of her ovaries.,Service connection for sinusitis is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for major depressive disorder is remanded due to new information indicating worsening symptoms.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for salpingo-oophoritis with removal of right ovary is remanded as more information about the status of her ovaries is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for ilioinguinal nerve neuropathy is denied as the current 10% rating is the maximum allowed under VA regulations. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected persistent depressive disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the bilateral knees and remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and PTSD). The case is being returned to the RO for issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is claimed to be related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. However, the claim for a lumbar spine disability has not yet been decided. The Board finds that these claims are inextricably intertwined and cannot be decided separately.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has reopened the claim and found that there is at least an even balance of evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, is related to his service. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression and alcohol use disorder is rated at 70 percent for the entire appeal period, subject to payment of monetary benefits. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for insomnia has been denied as his current sleep impairment is already contemplated in the rating assigned to his depressive disorder.,The earlier effective date for service connection of unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress has been denied because the earliest date that the Veteran expressed an intent to reopen his claim, September 8, 2012, is the currently assigned effective date.,The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his depressive disorder with anxious distress has been remanded as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 100% rating under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for service-connected PTSD, to include depression and anxiety, is remanded due to the lack of a recent VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) due to lack of a medical nexus. The issue of service connection for PTSD remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for left elbow disability and major depressive disorder require further examination to determine if they are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (to include depression), and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's service-connected major depression, PTSD, and adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features did not require hospitalization or convalescence after May 31, 2013. The appeal for an extension of a temporary total evaluation beyond May 31, 2013 is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including cyclothymic disorder and PTSD. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and whether it is related to service.

The Veteran was not rated totally disabled for a continuous period of at least 8 years immediately preceding his death, and therefore does not meet the criteria for enhanced DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1311(a)(2).

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and PTSD. The case is remanded to obtain VA treatment records and arrange for a VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and chronic depression (secondary to bilateral knee osteoarthritis) must be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the VA examiner's opinion.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination regarding his psychiatric disorder. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have already received their maximum schedular ratings.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service onset or relationship to service.