Depression decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent since January 2017. The Board denied a higher rating, finding that the Veteran’s occupational and social impairment did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent since May 24, 2012. The rating reflects the severity of her symptoms which include suicidal ideation, near-continuous depression, impaired impulse control, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and inability to establish effective relationships.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, degenerative arthritis of the spine and lumbar spondylosis, and right knee arthritis. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, left knee, right foot disabilities and residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to include acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are believed to be related to in-service injuries during airborne training.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition in service and insufficient continuity of symptomatology to establish a nexus with service.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU prior to August 21, 2015 is dismissed as the AOJ granted entitlement to TDIU based on psychiatric disability alone with an effective date of August 21, 2015. The issues of service connection for headaches and initial evaluation for bilateral eye injury are remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for TBI and its residuals, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorders (major depressive and persistent depressive disorders) secondary to service-connected disabilities are granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion to determine if diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder with anxious distress, is at least as likely as not related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed depression and anxiety, but the other issues related to left ankle and knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with social anxiety to include traumatic brain injury with memory loss is currently rated at 50 percent prior to June 18, 2020 and denied for a higher rating since that date.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Bipolar Disorder is granted. Claims for Personality Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Headaches, Sleep Apnea, and Hypertension are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive and anxiety disorder has been granted a 100% rating from October 18, 2012 to January 15, 2018. The decision also grants TDIU and SMC benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, has been reopened. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional VA treatment records and conduct a new examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected disabilities and his diagnosed mental health condition.

The Veteran's asthma was not related to service, as there is no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment for asthma during service and the condition resolved prior to her separation examination. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability due to an in-service injury or event.,The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a current diagnosis of PTSD, as she was unable to provide details about any specific stressor events during service that would support a PTSD diagnosis.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and migraine headaches are related to his military service, particularly due to stressors experienced during active duty. As such, the claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for depression is denied, while her claim for a higher initial evaluation prior to November 24, 2014, for depression is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding the severity of her disability.

The Board has determined that there was incomplete development of the claim and requires a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.