Depression decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for unspecified depressive disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for severance of special monthly compensation based on housebound status is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle, left ankle, and right knee disabilities. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder NOS) is also granted.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, as COPD and other conditions were ruled out. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran’s heart disability to his service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to the lack of occupational and social impairment.

The Board is remanding the case due to incorrect reliance on medical opinions and needs a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's depression was caused or aggravated by her service-connected diabetes mellitus and post-status stroke.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression and anxiety, as well as tinnitus. The claims are being returned to VA for further development and consideration.

The claim for service connection of PTSD has been reopened. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, UAD, and UDD, are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD has been productive of total occupational and social impairment prior to September 21, 2015. As a result, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with MDD is granted.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations, earlier effective dates, and TDIU are remanded due to new evidence of worsening symptoms. The VA will need to obtain additional medical records and schedule the Veteran for a psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left and right shoulder disabilities, hearing loss in the right ear, asthma, ischemic heart disease, headaches, PTSD, and depression have been denied. The decision also includes remanded issues such as sleep apnea and high blood pressure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, a manic-depressive disorder, and an anxiety disorder was denied in October 2007. The Board has now reopened the claim due to new evidence received since then. However, the issue of whether his current diagnoses are related to his military service remains unresolved.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depressive Disorder. The issues of service connection for a left hip disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle tendonitis, service connection for tinnitus, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD due to MST, anxiety, and depression) are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent from April 17, 2009 to December 28, 2016.,An initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied after December 29, 2016.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to assess the Veteran's current diagnosis and the etiology of any diagnosed disability, including PTSD due to MST and Major Depression, recurrent. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's acquired psychological disability, including major depressive disorder and panic disorder, was granted service connection. The right toe disability and left hand finger disabilities were denied as not related to military service.,Service connection for vertigo was denied due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder, is granted as secondary to his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left foot disability, right foot disability, hypertension, heart disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and MDD. The decision also noted that the Veteran was granted service connection for migraines and RLE radiculopathy effective August 22, 2014.