Depression decisions — 2021

The Veteran's depressive disorder with anxiety is being remanded for the retrieval of updated VA treatment records from the Washington VAMC since May 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, back, and neurological disabilities in his upper and lower extremities, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea. The claims are also remanded to determine if erectile dysfunction is related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of in-service stressors and discrepancies with respect to psychiatric diagnoses. The Veteran needs to provide more details about his claimed stressors, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current nature and likely etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and major depressive disorder, is granted as service connected. Service connection for PTSD was previously established with a 30% rating effective May 20, 2015.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right elbow disability, finding that there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition prior to the February 2020 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, specifically depression. The case will be returned for further development and a new medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that further development is needed to determine if these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his sternal scar was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a 60 percent rating for his CAD status post triple heart bypass, myocardial infarction and stent was granted.

The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted a 30 percent rating effective January 29, 2009. Prior to December 11, 2012, the Veteran's depression did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, is granted.,Service connection for a left knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, was denied. The Board found that there is no credible supporting evidence of a personal assault during service.,A rating of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with facet arthritis from August 21, 2015 to October 28, 2020 was granted.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions and records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including as due to chemical sensitivity. The claims file will be reviewed by an appropriate examiner who can address the etiology of the diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board granted a 100 percent rating for severe recurrent major depressive disorder with psychotic features prior to October 24, 2017. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was dismissed as the grant of a 100 percent rating rendered moot.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include as secondary to a service-connected right hand disability. The Veteran's alcohol use disorder was not found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected right hand condition. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression, unspecified mood disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, is now pending again.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to missing service medical records and the need for additional examinations. The Veteran's reported symptoms during and since service are being evaluated, as well as any aggravation of his disabilities.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected pension benefits for the period prior to September 15, 2019 were denied due to his not being permanently and totally disabled from nonservice-connected disabilities.,For the period after September 15, 2019, the Veteran's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) for a Veteran with no dependents.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is rated at 70 percent, effective from May 31, 2018. Other conditions have been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of records and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder, ADHD, bipolar personality disorder, and moderate depression secondary to service-connected left foot and left ankle disabilities, as well as bilateral knee disorders.