Depression decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development, including a lack of an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's current symptomatology and whether his psychiatric disorders are related to service. The VA must provide an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's mood disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded both issues for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD and depression due to additional evidence being added to the record, including VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claim for basal cell carcinoma on the right shoulder is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his active duty.,The Veteran meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective April 28, 2015 due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of depressive disorder and a higher initial rating, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet criteria for total social or occupational impairment.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to lack of VA examinations and need for updated treatment records. The Veteran's left knee, eczema, acquired psychiatric disability (depression), low back/tailbone disability, and headache disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is reopened, but the case is remanded to develop and obtain evidence regarding her in-service stressors and to provide a VA examination to determine if she has any acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, schizoaffective disorder, and delusional disorder with manic features, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year after discharge.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied, and her claim for service connection for psychiatric disability (including depression and anxiety) is remanded for further review.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions. The claim will be returned for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders, including adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorder, are at least as likely as not related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for his PTSD rating and TDIU has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from August 17, 2009 to July 20, 2014 was granted due to her service-connected disabilities meeting the schedular criteria and her combined disability rating being at least 40 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and requests for additional information from the Veteran.

The Board has remanded several claims for service connection due to the Veteran's previous denial of these conditions in 2014 and 2016. The new claim is considered a reopening of those prior determinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for anxiety and depression, as well as his claims for PTSD and residuals of extracted teeth. The evidence did not establish new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder is granted, effective July 5, 2018.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied.,A rating in excess of 60 percent for prostate cancer residuals with voiding dysfunction is denied.,An initial rating in excess of 50 percent for unspecified depressive disorder is denied.,TDIU beginning July 5, 2018, is granted.

The Veteran's claims for reimbursement of parking fees and monthly subsistence allowance, as well as his request for VR&E services including independent living services, are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,The Veteran has been provided with a thorough vocational rehabilitation evaluation that includes assessments of his current limitations caused by service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform in both his current occupational field and desired career changes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. The reasons are that there is insufficient evidence to determine if her current mental health issues are related to her military service, particularly due to conflicting information about when she was transferred from Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic encephalopathy. The rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of chronic encephalopathy and TDIU claims are remanded.