Depression decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depression, are related to service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, claimed as antisocial personality disorder and depression disorder, were denied. The Board found no evidence that these conditions began during service or are otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected demyelinating disorder and major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted an initial 100 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder effective July 3, 2014. The Veteran's condition is characterized by total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression and alcohol use disorder has been granted an increased rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of the May 2017 VA examination. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with verifying the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor, which is necessary for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and anxiety disorder and depressive disorder have been granted.,The Veteran's claim of a compensable disability rating for right hip strain has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding service connection for panic disorder, anxiety and depressive disorders, and personality disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically depression, finding that the Veteran's depressive symptoms did not begin during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and bronchial asthma are both rated at the maximum allowable levels. The Board has ordered remand to obtain updated VA examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 27, 2017.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including a depressive disorder and an anxiety disorder, are found to be as likely as not related to his active duty service. The Board granted the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to incomplete documentation in the Veteran's claims file.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, major depressive disorder, is granted as secondary to his service-connected acid reflux. His hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and higher ratings have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination, particularly regarding his exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

Service connection is granted for left knee chondromalacia, back arthritis, chronic residuals of left shoulder, and depressive disorder. Service connection is remanded for peripheral neuropathy in bilateral lower extremities and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's appeals for depression, PTSD, and squamous cell carcinoma have been dismissed. The appeal for a right upper arm condition is remanded.