Depression decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for other specified depressive disorder and right knee disability were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for right knee instability.

The Veteran's service-connected depression and anxiety have made it impossible for him to maintain gainful employment, leading the Board to grant a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran currently has a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, and for an opinion on its etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, Depression, Hearing Loss, and Tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's depression has been rated at 70 percent, but the Board has remanded for further consideration of service connection for PTSD. The TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder is reopened, and he is granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.,Service connection is also granted for persistent depressive disorder. The compensable disability rating for otitis externa with excess cerumen production is remanded due to lack of recent VA examination records. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including depression with anxiety and bipolar disorder. The examiner should provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including joint pain, muscle pain, left shoulder condition, neck condition, bilateral foot condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, and respiratory condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,No current diagnoses have been established for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action on her claims of increased rating for major depressive disorder with PTSD and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for major depressive disorder with psychotic features is granted, effective from November 11, 2010. The appeal regarding an earlier effective date for service connection of the same condition is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but the issues of service connection for a left shoulder disorder and bilateral hearing loss are remanded. The rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis with Morton's disease is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The issues are related to potential in-service stressors and whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder and depressive disorder, secondary to his service-connected residuals of prostatectomy due to prostate cancer is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, and cholecystectomy scar (gallbladder removal) have been denied.,There is no effective date prior to April 22, 2015 assigned for these grants of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for necrotizing pancreatitis resulting from VA treatment is granted, and service connection for a psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety or depressive disorder) is also granted. The claims for service connection for myotonic dystrophy and gastrointestinal disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses and their etiology. The VA examiner is requested to provide an advisory medical opinion clarifying these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened, and the Board is remanding the case to obtain a VA examination and determine if his diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to military service. The claims of increased ratings for asthma with sleep apnea and plantar fascial fibromatosis, left foot, as well as the earlier effective date claim for the 50 percent rating for asthma with sleep apnea, are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, as well as degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. Additionally, the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD with history of depressive disorder was rated at a 70% disability rating from June 13, 2012 to June 7, 2015. The RO denied his request for an earlier effective date prior to June 8, 2015.