Depression decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to conflicting opinions on whether the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for PTSD under either DSM-IV or DSM-5. Additional etiology opinions are needed, and VA treatment records from Massachusetts VAMC and Lake Baldwin CBOC should be obtained.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical evidence and a new VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand is necessary to obtain updated medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities.

The claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and granted. The claims for heart disease, hypertension, residuals of malaria, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including readjudication of the claim for an increased initial disability rating for depression and consideration of TDIU on both schedular and extraschedular bases. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not met the disability rating percentage thresholds for TDIU on a schedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings are remanded due to insufficient evidence in some cases, particularly regarding the severity of his major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The decision finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to report for VA examinations. The issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, ear condition, and low back condition are also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and aggravation of the Veteran's depressive disorder during service.

The Veteran's claims for Parkinsonism, Lewy body dementia, and depressive disorder have been denied as these conditions are not presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung disease and major depressive disorder, both related to asbestos exposure. The decision is final as no new and material evidence was presented.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, and substance abuse disorder. The Board found no relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the effective date and initial rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and ratings related to various disabilities has been dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for PTSD, also claimed as paranoid schizophrenia and depression with nightmares is granted. The appeal regarding the increased rating for lumbar strain is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and any other psychological disability, including an anxiety disorder, and depression using the DSM-V criteria. The examiner must consider the Veteran's in-service experiences and provide opinions on whether his PTSD is based upon conceded stressors.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability is rated at 70 percent, effective October 31, 2003. A TDIU rating and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits are granted from the same effective date.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for adjustment disorder with depression and anxiety prior to October 14, 2015 was denied as the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with decreased work efficiency or intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted, and a 70 percent rating for his service-connected mental disorders (including depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and other service-connected mental disorders) is granted effective as of May 4, 2007.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, right hip arthritis, left hip arthritis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and a depressive disorder), right knee disability, and left knee disability have been granted. The claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities are still pending.