Depression decisions — 2021

The Board denied a higher initial disability rating for PTSD from September 7, 2007 to August 31, 2011 and denied any higher rating for the entire period on appeal. The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression. The case will be returned for further development and an additional VA examination.

The Board has remanded three issues: 1) the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation greater than 30 percent for bilateral pes planus, 2) service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and 3) service connection for left and right ankle/leg disabilities. The Veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected foot disabilities, but the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate as it did not address the relationship between pain caused by service-connected disabilities and the Veteran's depression. For the ankle/leg issues, the VA examiner found that the degenerative joint disease of the bilateral ankles is not proximately due or aggravated by the service-connected foot disabilities. The obesity causing the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the bilateral ankles was also not addressed in the opinion.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes in either ear and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The psychiatric claim is remanded as the evidence of record is insufficient to determine if any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type II, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and depression), eye disorders, shortness of breath, hypertension, kidney disorder, heart disorder, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, are all denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder and adjustment disorder with depressed mood. Service connection for sleep apnea was denied.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and dysthymia, but granted a TDIU from May 21, 2017.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for GERD. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives and failure to provide VA examinations. The Veteran's service connection claim for major depressive disorder, as well as her rating claims for headaches, radiculopathy of lower extremities, and DDD of back are all being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Depressive Disorder as there was no current diagnosis of either condition, and the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or event that caused these conditions.

The Veteran's psychiatric conditions are remanded for further examination and review of his service records to determine if they were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including residuals of testicular injury, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, bilateral cataracts, psychiatric disability (depression), and obstructive sleep apnea, was granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and alcohol use disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than major depressive disorder and granted service connection for major depressive disorder. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for depression NOS and mood disorder, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset in service.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, with the most probative evidence showing he is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The left knee disability issue has been remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal. The claims for reopening were granted, and new evidence was submitted in support of these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and dysthymic disorder, did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 10, 2010.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed due to their death.