Depression decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and a skin disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, sleep disorder, and headaches are being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various mental health conditions due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran was receiving Supplemental Security Income from Social Security Administration, but VA did not attempt to obtain his SSA records.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was submitted to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's headaches are remanded due to incomplete examination, and his psychiatric disability claims (including PTSD) are also remanded as there is a need for additional development regarding stressor verification.

The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for PTSD is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including depressive disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The evidence now shows that the Veteran engaged in combat and experienced stressors related to fear of hostile military activity, which supports a diagnosis of PTSD. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD disability, which includes MDD and alcohol abuse, has been rated at 100 percent since March 5, 2012, due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of July 31, 2009 for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected major depressive disorder and nephropathy with hypertension.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been withdrawn and are dismissed. The appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction as a residual of gonorrhea is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's persistent depressive disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, particularly PTSD. The VA needs to obtain a new medical opinion that addresses whether these conditions are related to service and if so, which specific stressors in Vietnam contributed to their development.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, major depressive disorder, psychosis for the purpose of establishing eligibility for treatment, and a higher initial rating for tinnitus are dismissed. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD and TBI residuals are being remanded for further evaluation, as the current ratings do not reflect the full extent of his disabilities. The issues of increased ratings for migraine headaches and entitlement to TDIU are also being remanded due to their inextricably intertwined nature with the other issues.

The Board has granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder. The remaining issues of service connection for a kidney condition, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, lung condition, PTSD, and higher initial ratings for diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity are remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with MDD. The effective date for the grant of service connection for MDD is set at May 16, 2016.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder secondary to all service-connected disabilities, needs further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU is dismissed as moot because he is already receiving a combined 100 percent schedular rating for his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if his symptoms have worsened. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricable interrelation with the psychiatric disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD. The evidence now submitted raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain is restored.,The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to August 19, 2015.