Depression decisions — 2019

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depression, are found to be related to his military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied. The previously denied psychiatric disorder claim is reopened, and the Veteran is granted service connection for MDD as secondary to his service-connected erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's migraines and vertigo are granted as service-connected.,Effective dates for the grants of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease are denied.,Service connection is granted for a left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. Effective dates for these conditions are not granted as the Veteran did not file claims prior to July 7, 2014.,The Veteran's hypertension, anxiety, and depression are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and for a new VA examination under the DSM-IV criteria.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for IBS, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, PTSD, and anxiety and depression. The claims are being remanded to obtain necessary medical records and to schedule VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and major depressive disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity peroneal nerve palsy. The rating of 10 percent for this condition is restored.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that it is related to the Veteran's active duty. The issue of TDIU has been remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for depression. The claims for a low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD with MDD and alcohol abuse was denied, as the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The issue of TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for depression due to new and material evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claim is now reopened, but a VA examination is needed to determine if the depression is related to service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. However, the claim for secondary service connection of alcohol use disorder and depression to photophobia disability is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of Major Depressive Disorder was granted, but the appeal regarding his prostate cancer evaluation is being remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is granted as service connected due to the balance of positive and negative evidence being in equipoise.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate April 2014 VA examination and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetic retinopathy, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral cataracts have been dismissed as the evidence does not support a finding of service connection on any basis.,Service connection has been granted for unspecified depressive disorder secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The appeal for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.,Ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for unspecified depressive disorder and left knee osteoarthritis have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in a December 2018 written correspondence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression as secondary to bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains denied, and the petition to reopen his claim for tinnitus has been granted.

The Veteran's PTSD rating was restored to 50 percent effective January 1, 2015. The TDIU entitlement was also restored from that date.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating effective prior to February 27, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.