Depression decisions — 2021

The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 30 percent from January 5, 2017 to January 31, 2020 and 10 percent otherwise. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.,Major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent prior to February 21, 2020 and 30 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for major depression, anxiety disorder, and hypertension have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and active duty service.,Service connection was not granted for hypertension as it is not listed among diseases presumed to be related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with earlier remand instructions, specifically regarding suicide attempts during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disorder, secondary to his service-connected persistent depressive disorder, was granted. The effective date of the grant of service connection for persistent depressive disorder is set at September 1, 2010.

The Veteran's left foot disability is not service-connected due to lack of a current diagnosis.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, affective disorder, and polysubstance dependence, is denied as there is no in-service event or injury related to these conditions.,Obstructive sleep apnea was not service-connected due to lack of a current diagnosis.,Residuals of traumatic brain injury were not service-connected due to lack of an in-service event.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Depression, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of evidence supporting a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's recurrent depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder has been rated at 10 percent from October 7, 2010 to November 14, 2016; 30 percent from November 14, 2016 to August 20, 2018; and 70 percent from August 20, 2018. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for the aggravation of chronic kidney disease by diabetes mellitus, hypertension due to diabetes mellitus, and PTSD with major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms has been granted. The appeals for initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with bilateral cataracts, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction are remanded. The appeal for TDIU is also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, Anxiety Disorder with Depressive Features, and Depressive Disorder, NOS due to lack of evidence showing a link between the disorders and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headache disability and acquired psychiatric disorder characterized as MDD and OCD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to her active military service.

The rating reduction for the Veteran's back disability from 20 to 10 percent was improper, and the 20 percent rating is restored. An initial 70 percent rating for mood disability with major depression is granted. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for her hernia disability, including umbilical and ventral hernias, is denied as the evidence does not show that she required a supportive belt.,The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating due to convalescence following her umbilical hernia surgery is denied because she did not require one month of convalescence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not produce total occupational impairment prior to June 8, 2010. Therefore, the criteria for TDIU prior to that date are not met.

The Veteran's depression, rated at 70% since October 13, 2011, has been granted TDIU as of July 31, 2013.,Prior to July 31, 2013, the Veteran’s lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes was rated at 40%, and combined with other disabilities, reached a maximum rating of 60%.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is dismissed as the appeal has been withdrawn from the Legacy appeals system under the AMA.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity from May 8, 2012 to May 12, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability. The private physician's opinion supported this finding, linking the onset of MDD during active duty and attributing its aggravation by his service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because the Veteran's symptoms were already considered in his existing PTSD rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and unclear information about his periods of service, particularly regarding deployments. The claims will be returned to the RO for further development.