Depression decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, and back disability, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from April 19, 2010, to May 3, 2020. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The appeal was reopened due to new evidence provided by the Veteran, but the Board found that there is no evidence linking his current psychiatric disabilities to his time in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and need for further development regarding stressor events in service, psychiatric disability etiology, and evaluation of existing evidence. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and depression are being considered under direct service connection theory.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA and/or private treatment records and providing an addendum medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's migraines are related to service-connected depressive disorder and/or asthma.

The Veteran's PTSD with PDD, formerly characterized as GAD, is rated at 70 percent and denied for an increased rating. TDIU was granted from December 1, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left knee disability and any acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia, a depressive disorder, and/or anxiety disorder), headaches, left foot bunion, and right foot bunion are all granted service connection.,Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder is granted based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of in-service personal assault stressors and a need for a new VA examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is still under consideration.

The Veteran's back disorder is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his in-service slip and fall injury.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, is remanded for an addendum opinion addressing whether it is secondary to the service-connected back disorder or tinnitus.,The Veteran's headaches are remanded for a VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service complaints of head pain and/or service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded for an addendum opinion on whether it is secondary to his acquired psychiatric disorder and/or back disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD was rated at 50 percent from February 7, 2012, through May 4, 2014, and at 70 percent since May 5, 2014.,The Veteran's DDD of the thoracic spine was rated at 10 percent from February 7, 2012, through May 4, 2014, and at 20 percent since May 5, 2014. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was denied as there is no medical evidence of current diagnosis or impairment that would constitute a disability for which service connection could be established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, coccyx fracture, and headaches have been denied. The denial is based on the lack of evidence supporting a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate development and need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed.,Service connection is granted for a heart disorder and erectile dysfunction, both due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of compliance with prior remand directives. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric conditions and his hypertension. The VA needs to provide a new opinion on whether these conditions are related or aggravated by the hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to deficiencies in the examination reports and lack of clarity regarding the criteria used by the examiners.

The Veteran's major depression and generalized anxiety disorder are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or immediately after his military service. The cervical spine disability was also not service-connected due to lack of in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for mental health conditions, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.