Depression decisions — 2019

The Veteran's right hip disability and depressive disorder have been granted service connection, with a 50% rating for the right hip disability effective November 12, 2018.

The Board has granted the applications to reopen the claims of service connection for left foot condition and posttraumatic stress disorder. The issues are remanded due to incomplete records, including those from SSA and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The Board also granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but remanded the issue of increased rating for service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has decided to remand several issues, including the extraschedular evaluation for residuals of vertebral fracture, increased rating for major depressive disorder, and ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The TDIU issue is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inextricably intertwined issue (entitlement to service connection for congestive heart failure) and will address whether service connection is warranted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, however diagnosed, as secondary to ischemic heart disease.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination and for further development. The Veteran is seeking service connection for schizophrenia and depression, but no medical opinion was provided regarding the relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information on whether the Veteran's major depressive disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional retrospective medical opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected psychotic disorder from January 1979 to October 1993, and for TDIU prior to October 26, 1993.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for a hearing or conference, and no specific service connection decisions have been made.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for several conditions, including lumbar spine strain, traumatic brain injury, major depressive disorder with unspecified neurocognitive disorder, and left lumbar radiculopathy. The Board dismissed these appeals as a result.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for developmental sickle beta thalassemia (claimed as sickle cell anemia) due to new and material evidence. The claims for PTSD, depression NOS, and alcohol dependence are remanded for further development. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability and a TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran requested to withdraw their appeal for a temporary total disability evaluation due to hospitalization in excess of 21 days for service-connected PTSD and major depressive disorder. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD and psychotic disorder as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder are granted as service-connected, with the diagnosis based on in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ must obtain her complete service personnel records and service treatment records, as well as military dependent treatment records from multiple military facilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of healed injury right wrist is denied as the evidence does not show ankylosis or more than limitation of motion.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied because there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support their onset during service.

The Board has vacated its May 7, 2019 decision and remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric disorder (including unspecified depressive disorder and PTSD) and sleep apnea. The issues are being remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically whether it is clear and unmistakable that she had a pre-existing mental disorder at the time of entrance into active duty service or if her current condition is at least as likely as not due to or aggravated by an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD has been granted a 100 percent disability rating, indicating total occupational and social impairment.