Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations. The issues of increased ratings for thoracic spine degenerative joint disease, right shoulder bursitis, and depression are being returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of the claims as they are no longer relevant.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and for increased evaluations for his TBI and lumbosacral strain with IVDS. The issues of entitlement to TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress has been rated at 70 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for total social and occupational impairment.

The Board has found that not all of the prior remand directives have been accomplished and has therefore ordered the case to be returned for compliance with the Board's previous instructions.

An initial 70 percent rating for anxiety disorder is granted effective July 9, 2007.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder present since 2002. A new VA opinion is required from an appropriate examiner.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected persistent depressive disorder and sleep disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at a higher 70 percent, but no greater. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the earliest claim was received on November 2, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder is rated at 70 percent since March 11, 2017. The appeal has been remanded for further evaluation of the service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD and major depression were denied due to the finality of previous decisions. The effective dates granted are August 6, 2014.

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities are rated at 20 percent each, effective July 30, 2013. The TDIU claim is granted as of August 18, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder, cognitive difficulties/memory loss, depressive disorder, mood disorder, and panic disorder as these conditions are considered symptoms of the Veteran's already service-connected PTSD.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, affective disorder, depressive disorder, NOS, and anxiety disorder, is remanded due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The case must be returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the appellant was 'insane' at the time of his discharge from service, which could affect his eligibility for VA benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and GAD, is reopened. Service connection is granted for this condition as secondary to his service-connected pseudo-seizures. The lower back condition issue remains pending due to the need for a VA examiner's opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, finding that there was no credible evidence to support the occurrence of a stressor related to military sexual trauma. The preponderance of the evidence did not verify any claimed in-service stressors.

The Veteran's PTSD, anxiety disorder (claimed as a conversion disorder), and chronic depression are all found to be related to his service-connected PTSD. Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depressive disorder, diagnosed as a personality disorder in service and now recognized as a depressive disorder, was incurred during active duty. The decision grants service connection for this condition.