Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for brain tumors, seizures, heart disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), prostate cancer, and SMC based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status. The issues are being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of conditions, verification of stressors, and etiology.

The Veteran's appeals seeking service connection for various conditions have been denied. The claims of service connection for a back condition, cervical spine condition, tinnitus, and depression are all denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder was denied because the evidence did not establish a relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression is granted. The claim for insomnia is denied. Service connection for sleep apnea is also denied. Initial compensable ratings are granted for enterocolitis (Crohn's Disease) and anal fistula disability.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, squamous cell carcinoma, and sleep apnea. Service connection was denied for basal cell skin cancer and an acquired psychiatric condition (including MDD and PTSD). The Veteran's initial rating for kidney stone disability is now 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need to obtain outstanding VA treatment records, including those related to his eye and psychiatric disabilities. The Veteran must also provide lay statements from himself and others regarding his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder has been reopened, and he is now entitled to a 40% rating for his lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease. The separate 20% rating for right sciatic nerve radiculopathy is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as depression and PTSD, was due to an in-service assault and MST. Therefore, service connection for depression and PTSD with anxiety and sleep disorder is granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (to include depression) as secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer status post radical prostatectomy should be remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous Board directives and potential issues related to Hurricane Maria.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder has been rated at 50 percent since June 2016. The Board is remanding the case to determine if a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted based on his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, and headaches (tension headaches) are granted service connection. The Veteran's left arm condition and right arm condition are denied as not incurred during service. The Veteran's back condition is also denied.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder not otherwise specified with persistent depressive disorder was denied for ratings in excess of 30 percent prior to May 23, 2017 and on or after May 23, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include major depressive disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current depression and her active military service.

The Veteran's low back strain disability has been rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of ankylosis and functional loss.,For his major depressive disorder, the Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of his symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease. The case was remanded for further development regarding the increased rating claim and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for hypertension, and denied all other claims due to lack of a causal relationship between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is granted. The issue of whether he has a current psychiatric condition related to service is remanded.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the May 2014 rating decision. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU due to lower back and major depressive disorder disabilities is remanded.