Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and a need for further development regarding the Veteran's claimed stressor event, as well as obtaining additional medical records. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for psychiatric disability and tinnitus were reopened, and the claim for major depressive disorder with psychotic features and bipolar affective disorder was granted. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected depressive disorder, NOS, has been granted. The TDIU claim due to this condition is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety. Additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or pre-existed service.

The Board has granted a 100 percent schedular rating for service-connected major depressive disorder, finding that the condition results in total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, as there is no evidence that his current conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating of 100 percent, and his current rating of 70% is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and his service. However, the Board denied service connection on the merits as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, higher initial ratings for his disabilities, and nonservice-connected pension are being remanded due to the need to obtain SSA records and updated income information.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disability (unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress) have been granted. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including alcohol and substance abuse, finding no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left ankle condition due to new evidence presented by the Veteran during his Travel Board hearing. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection in all four claims, including sclerotic changes of the right hip, joint pain and right leg condition, sclerotic changes of the left hip, joint pain and left leg condition, ED, and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and unspecified depressive disorder from August 6, 2013 to July 20, 2017 and from December 14, 2017 is dismissed. The issues of ratings for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and unspecified depressive disorder in excess of 50 percent prior to August 6, 2013 and in excess of 70 percent from July 20, 2017 to December 14, 2017, and a TDIU rating from July 20, 2017 to December 14, 2017 are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, including secondary to bilateral foot disabilities. The Veteran's varicose veins are found to have onset in service or be caused by service-connected conditions of the feet and lumbar spine. His depression with anxiety is found to be aggravated by service-connected conditions, including bilateral foot disabilities, lumbar spine disability, and radiculopathies into the lower extremities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxiety, due to a lack of a VA examination. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder claim to include anxiety, insomnia and depression in addition to PTSD. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine the current diagnosis and etiology of any psychiatric disorder found to be present.

The Veteran was hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation due to service-connected conditions. However, the hospitalization did not exceed 21 days and thus does not meet the criteria for a temporary total evaluation.

The Board found that the April 21, 1992 rating decision denying service connection for anxiety with depression was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The decision concluded that any error in finding no chronic nervous condition during service did not manifestly change the outcome.