Depression decisions — 2020

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent effective September 28, 2007. The Board also granted a TDIU rating effective the same date.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of unspecified depressive disorder is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that symptoms began during service and have continued since.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder, GERD, colon disorders, headache disorder, diabetes mellitus type II (DM), eye disorders, low back and neck disorders, erectile dysfunction, right and left carpal tunnel syndromes. The decision also denied reopening of the claim for hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to March 19, 2014, for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder including depression and anxiety symptoms with cannabis use disorder are dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for bipolar disorder including depression and anxiety symptoms with cannabis use disorder is also dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue and memory loss due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, as well as compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a left eye blind spot due to VA medical treatment on June 26, 2014 are all dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed stressor events are uncorroborated and inconsistent with his MOS, leading to a remand for an addendum medical opinion regarding the nature and likely etiology of his psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his acquired psychiatric disorder and back disorder was denied. However, the Veteran received a grant of a 40 percent rating for thoracolumbar strain with chronic subscapular myositis from February 20, 2014. The decision is mixed as it granted one issue (back disorder) but denied another (PTSD and major depressive disorder).

The Veteran's service-connected back condition and depression rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 6, 2008 to April 1, 2009. From July 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010, his combined disabilities continued to prevent substantial gainful employment.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no effective date is assigned as it relates to service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including whether any current psychiatric disability is related to service or worsened by his service-connected tinnitus and hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, as well as his claim for TDIU due to lack of sufficient evidence regarding the onset and causation of these conditions during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic sinus condition, but denied the remaining claims including prostate condition, right knee condition, depressive disorder, deviated septum, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction (ED), low testosterone condition, and hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to incomplete records, specifically missing SSA records that could help substantiate the Veteran's claims.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The remaining issues, including respiratory disability, psychiatric disorder, cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, and foot disabilities, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria and there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tongue cancer was denied as the evidence did not show a link between his military service and the development of the condition.,Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. The Board found that the Veteran's current mental health issues are related to his service-related stressors.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for CFS is not warranted. The Veteran's claim was denied in March 2009, and he filed a petition to reopen his claim on April 30, 2014. The Board also found remanded issues related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, initial compensable rating for CFS, and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, is related to his military service. The VA examiner did not consider the Veteran's lay testimony about exacerbated mental health symptoms during service and did not address whether any pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including other specified depressive disorder, is secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease. The case will be reviewed again with an opinion on this issue.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to include depression, as the Veteran's depression is a symptom of his PTSD.