Depression decisions — 2021

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for bilateral shoulder, knee, wrist and hip disorders were denied. The right elbow arthritis claim was granted. The fibromyalgia claim was denied. The depressive disorder secondary to service-connected bilateral club foot with arthritis and pes planus was granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD as he did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD at the time of his death. The Veteran was previously granted service connection for major depression.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, so his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depressive disorder.

The TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for further development and readjudication once the initial rating decision for depressive disorder becomes final.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia with depression, had its onset during his military service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral eye disorders, hypertension, and a genitourinary disorder has been dismissed. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD with secondary MDD is rated at 70 percent, effective from May 18, 2016, the date his claim was received. This rating reflects occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further development, including obtaining additional military personnel and medical records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the earliest document in the claims file that may be accepted as a claim for service connection was received on May 1, 2014, for peroneal sensory neuropathy of the right lower extremity.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder. The Veteran's claim was based on alleged in-service stressors related to unloading deceased military personnel, but the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD.,Service connection for alcoholism was also denied as it is not service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The issues of secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and gastrointestinal condition are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted a 20% rating, and his anxiety disorder from May 23, 2016 is granted a 50% rating. The Veteran's request for a higher rating for the anxiety disorder after that date is denied, as well as his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, specifically his schizotypal personality disorder. The claim is being returned for further development.

The Board finds that further development is necessary to determine the Veteran's service connection claims for a low back condition and an acquired psychiatric disability.,Specifically, additional records from Loma Linda VAMC are needed to establish continuity of symptomatology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and an acquired psychiatric disorder should be remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has found the VA etiology opinion inadequate for adjudicative purposes and has ordered a remand to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorders diagnosed during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee and hip conditions as well as a depressive disorder, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD, major depressive disorder, and alcohol dependence are rated at 70 percent since October 29, 2004. The decision also grants a TDIU prior to October 16, 2008.