Depression decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his reported exposure to herbicide agents during service, as well as other issues related to diabetes and psychiatric conditions. The claims will be further developed to attempt to corroborate the Veteran’s account of in-service stressors.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including personality disorder. However, it was denied as there is no legal basis to grant service connection for a personality disorder and the current acquired psychiatric disabilities are not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to concerns about the confirmation of the Veteran's in-service stressor and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's employment status and hours worked, which is necessary to determine if he qualifies for TDIU prior to October 29, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, as his education and work history suggest he is capable of performing various jobs. His current physical and mental health conditions are consistent with lower evaluations than those currently assigned for these disabilities.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for further development to verify his in-service stressor and determine if he had an acquired psychiatric disorder during service that contributed to his cause of death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical records and clarify certain aspects of his claims. The specific issues are related to erectile dysfunction, headaches and migraines, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, his claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied as he does not meet the VA standards for a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, elbow disorder, wrist disorder, hip disorder, knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder (other than right ankle sprain), shoulder disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and service.,The Veteran's claim for a cervical spine disorder has also been remanded as no VA examination addressing the direct or secondary theory of entitlement was conducted.,His claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for shin splints, left leg and right leg have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for left inguinal hernia, epididymo-orchitis with orchiditis and hydrocele, tinnitus, right eye condition, and left shoulder condition have been withdrawn. The appeal for anxiety and depression has resulted in a grant of service connection.,Tinnitus remains at 10%.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD or other mental disorders during active duty or within one year after discharge. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for VA medical treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's erectile dysfunction, specifically whether it is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, and additional records are needed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for depressive disorder due to medical condition was denied, and the effective date for service connection of this disability was also denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran’s psychiatric symptoms did not reflect total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected residuals of a thoracic spine scar was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show three or four scars that were unstable or painful, and therefore, a higher rating could not be granted. For the TDIU claim prior to July 19, 2017, the Veteran's disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence to corroborate his reported stressor. The Veteran is also diagnosed with additional conditions such as major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the evaluation of PTSD with other specified depressive disorder NOS and cannabis use disorder, effective prior to April 27, 2015, and from that date onwards. The Board dismissed these claims.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including cardiovascular disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, sleep apnea (OSA), skin disorder, neurological disorder, scleroderma, hearing loss, bone atrophy, and vision disorder. The decision found no evidence of these conditions during or immediately after service, and did not find a link to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, as secondary to service-connected left shoulder disability and hepatitis C. The claim of service connection for PTSD remains pending due to conflicting medical evidence.