Depression decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 50 percent for unspecified depressive disorder is granted. The claims for TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are remanded.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the Veteran had an acquired psychiatric disorder related to service and if any other acquired psychiatric disorder contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence supporting service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder, including discrepancies in the Veteran's military records and alleged stressors. The Veteran needs to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and sleep apnea due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has denied an earlier effective date for service connection of major depressive disorder, but granted service connection for schizoaffective disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected stroke.

The Veteran is granted TDIU based on service-connected disabilities of major depressive disorder with traumatic brain injury and migraine including migraine variants associated with major depressive disorder, which are considered as one disability. The Veteran is also granted SMC due to statutory housebound status.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to incomplete information and need for additional development, including obtaining work history details from employers and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's depression with anxiety has been rated at 70 percent since October 26, 2020. The Board remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his employment and earnings, as well as the need for a recent VA examination assessing his ability to work.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, on a secondary basis to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression, panic disorder), finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including back disability, headaches, diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, bilateral foot condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted, and the Board dismissed the case as there is no longer a controversy to decide.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding her left eye disability and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) are granted. The left foot disability rating is restored to 20 percent, effective November 1, 2018. A separate 10% rating for plantar fasciitis is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, due to insufficient evidence of a mental health diagnosis conforming to DSM-V criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and because some theories of entitlement need to be addressed. The Veteran's service-connected post-concussive headaches may affect his other psychiatric disorders, but this needs further clarification.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 2, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee, lumbar spine, and psychiatric disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation from April 18, 2007 to April 17, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's MDD. The claims for PTSD and MDD are being reviewed.