Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder (MDD), due to insufficient evidence and need for another opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, depression, and alcohol abuse was denied. The effective date is set at September 4, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and cannabis use disorder was granted with an effective date of November 4, 2005.

The Veteran's service connection claims for depressive disorder with anxious distress, substance abuse disorders, and insomnia are granted. The claim for PTSD is denied. The Veteran also has an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD and a TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, should be remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and missing medical records.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for an increased rating for major depressive disorder (also claimed as PTSD). The appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the current psychiatric disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and that the claimed stressors have not been corroborated.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is granted as his current diagnosis of PTSD is related to in-service stressors involving fear of hostile military activity.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected Depressive Disorder, Left Knee Chondromalacia Patella, and Low Back Disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a different VA examiner regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a cognitive impairment (claimed as memory impairment).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete service treatment records.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings of sleep apnea, idiopathic anaphylaxis, and diabetes mellitus. The petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. However, the appeal for service connection for depression disorder secondary to service-connected disability is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his current psychiatric disabilities are related to in-service stressors or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to determine the nature and origin of his acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety with panic attacks. The case will be reviewed after obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum medical opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically unspecified depressive disorder, is related to his service and granted this claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's mental health disabilities were related to service or his service-connected conditions, and if VA staff failed to exercise proper care in prescribing medications.