Depression decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Depression, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a skin disorder and depressive disorder with anxiety due to inadequate examinations and opinions. The Veteran's skin condition may be related to in-service exposure, but further examination is needed. For the depressive disorder claim, a new examination is required to determine if it is proximately due to or aggravated by diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 29, 1991 for the award of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is remanded to determine if a TDIU should have an earlier effective date.

The Board has granted a rating of 50 percent for PTSD with TBI and recurrent major depressive disorder with psychotic features from January 9, 2012 to June 20, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his unemployability is due to Parkinson’s disease and associated symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD with Depressive Disorder caused occupational and social impairment from August 1, 2016 through August 15, 2018. A higher 70 percent rating was granted for this period.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for depressive disorder was denied. The Board found the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss were reopened, but no new evidence was provided to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, has been reopened. The Board also remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypothyroidism, a rating in excess of 20 percent for a back disability, a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee disability, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's other specified trauma related disorder with major depressive disorder has been manifested by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, although generally functioning satisfactorily. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms did not cause the level of impairment required for a disability rating higher than 30 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any other psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has vacated its previous decisions and remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining additional medical records and conducting examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities not precluding him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is not service-connected. The TBI residuals are rated at 40 percent, which is the highest rating available under VA guidelines. The Veteran has been granted a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is related to his active military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, on a direct incurrence basis is denied. The claim for major depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain is granted with staged initial ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and TDIU remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and claimed as post-traumatic stress disorder is granted. The right ankle disability claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, and the Board is remanding several issues including those related to PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder, dizziness, low back condition, right and left foot conditions, and a right ankle condition. The Veteran must be scheduled for VA examinations to evaluate these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened, but the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is related to military service. His right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with psychotic features is denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder; evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc and joint disease; right shoulder disability; limitation of motion, right wrist with degenerative joint disease; and status post laceration, at wrist level, right third, fourth, and fifth finger tendons are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.