Depression decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and MDD with polysubstance abuse in partial remission have not met the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent, as his symptoms do not warrant total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression, is not found to be secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence showing that the Veteran’s sleep impairment was caused by or worsened by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete information about the Veteran's service in Iraq, which may affect his claims for PTSD and TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to a lack of current diagnoses and conflicting medical opinions. The Veteran was presumed exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was granted. The claims for heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% from December 31, 2019. The Board has remanded the cases for further development regarding service connection for keratosis pilaris and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his mental health condition and heart issues, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding causation and aggravation of his dysthymic disorder and depression by his service-connected gout and spondylolysis disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left ankle fracture was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to TDIU prior to May 16, 2019 due to his service-connected major depressive disorder and other disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on several conditions have been dismissed. The claims of reopening a psychiatric disorder and hypertension have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depressive disorder have been granted an initial 70 percent rating, effective July 5, 2017. The effective date for the TDIU was also established as July 5, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for depression and TDIU due to incomplete compliance with prior remand instructions. An addendum opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's current mental health condition, including his in-service prescription of Mefloquine, is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression, is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with MDD has been rated at 70 percent since December 12, 2016. This rating is granted as the symptoms meet the criteria for a disability rating of 70 percent under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for PTSD. The claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder is granted.

The Veteran's appeal related to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection and an increased rating for his major depressive disorder is still pending. The case is being remanded due to issues with correspondence and a need to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Board denied service connection for left knee disability, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right knee disability, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica as secondary to a left knee disability. Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression).,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and lack of compliance with prior remand directives. The Veteran seeks service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder, which may be related to his in-service stressors or substance use.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent from December 23, 2011 to January 7, 2020. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to higher initial ratings for his right thigh and hip disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pes planus, right-foot disorder, left-foot disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and migraine headaches have all been denied. The Board found that the pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by active service.