Depression decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and unavailability of certain records. The claims will be further developed with additional examinations and attempts to obtain missing records.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, and major depressive disorder. The Veteran's obesity, which was caused by his service-connected Lisfranc dislocations, is considered an intermediate step in establishing these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders have been rated at 70% for the entire appeal period. The Board has determined that her symptoms more closely approximate total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for neurobehavioral effects/neurasthenia, depression and anxiety (including as secondary to neurobehavioral effects/neurasthenia), and bilateral plantar fasciitis due to insufficient development. The Veteran's Social Security Administration disability benefits records need to be obtained, along with any private medical records related to his claims.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and/or major depressive disorder due to new evidence received since the June 2012 rating decision. The Board also granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression and bilateral knee conditions, prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since October 1, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and his frostbite conditions are found to be related to service. The claim for depression is also reopened, but the evidence does not support a finding of service connection. Claims for peripheral neuropathy and hypertension remain denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and a need for additional development of evidence, including obtaining missing service records and private medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, substance abuse disorder, and skin disability are all granted. The skin disability is remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to outstanding VA treatment records and potential private treatment records. A VA examination is also required for these claims.

The Veteran's anxiety and depressive disorders are rated at a 50 percent since April 9, 2013. Prior to that date, the rating is 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for HIV and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and a depressive disorder NOS with features of PTSD, has been reopened and granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a back condition and has not had one at any time during the pendency of her claim or recent to the filing of the claim. The right knee condition and major depressive disorder are both remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the current severity of her service-connected panic disorder, depressive disorder, and lumbosacral strain with DJD. Her TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability from the increased rating claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient details provided by the Veteran regarding the stressor events that caused his PTSD. The AOJ is instructed to seek verification of these stressors from the JSRRC or other appropriate facilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD because the stressor event claimed by the Veteran could not be corroborated, and there was no diagnosis of PTSD that satisfied DSM criteria.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient efforts to verify the Veteran's claimed in-service sexual assault and stressor, as well as incomplete medical records. The Veteran is requested to provide additional information and consent forms for private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, depression, PTSD, and diabetes mellitus type II due to a lack of medical evidence on record regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii during his service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appeal for service connection on this basis is denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, is granted as service-connected.,An increased initial rating of 10 percent for hypertension is granted.