Depression decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has been granted a 100% disability rating for the entire appeal period, effective from January 28, 2012. The right foot Morton’s neuroma remains at a 10% initial disability rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and depressive disorder are remanded due to the need for new examinations. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is also remanded.

The claim for a higher rating for MDD is denied.,Claims for service connection for various conditions are all denied, including those related to the Veteran's lower extremities and eyes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disability, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss due to additional development being required.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition. However, due to conflicting medical opinions regarding his psychiatric disorder, the case is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened and granted for gastroenteritis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety), hypertension, allergic rhinitis, and OSA. Service connection was also granted for OSA as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 13, 2011 for service connection of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and related issues are dismissed. The Veteran's MDD claim was pending since December 13, 2011.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of ischemic heart disease, liver cancer, psychiatric disorders (including anxiety and depression), and hearing loss have been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to schedule a new VA examination for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, major depressive disorder, and low back disability are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and addressing whether it is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot disorder, right ankle disorder, and psychiatric condition. The claims are now remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, as he does not have permanent and total disability affecting one or more lower extremities, nor does he have blindness in both eyes with visual acuity of 20/200 or less. The Veteran also does not have service-connected disabilities involving both hands, burn injuries, or inhalational injuries.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a headache disability and acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, as secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The reasons include unclear medical opinions and missing VA treatment records. A new examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is granted a 70 percent rating, effective January 30, 2014. The Veteran also meets the schedular requirement for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) from May 29, 2014.

The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain (claimed as depression) is rated at 30 percent prior to October 2, 2016 and at 70 percent thereafter.,Effective October 2, 2016, the Veteran is granted a 100 percent evaluation for his service-connected somatic symptom disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for testicular cancer and depression as secondary to testicular cancer due to incomplete documentation of his entrance examination, potential pre-existing condition, and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder, has been reopened. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that more evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are related to his military service. The VA will need to obtain missing treatment records from specific VA medical centers.