Depression decisions — 2021

The claims for service connection of right knee and low back disabilities have been reopened. The claim for service connection of acquired psychiatric disorder including depression has also been reopened, but the claim for service connection of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma remains denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in several conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran and his attorney withdrawing their appeals.

The Veteran's 70 percent rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder (previously rated as posttraumatic stress disorder) is restored effective February 26, 2015. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, finding that her current diagnoses are related to her reported in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other mental health conditions, has been reopened. The case is remanded to obtain additional evidence and a VA medical opinion regarding the in-service stressor allegations.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected low back disability.,The issue of an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for the low back disability prior to November 1, 2015, and a higher initial rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to unclear evidence from previous examinations.,Service connection for OSA is also remanded as secondary to service-connected low back disability and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder is granted, but the claim for TDIU and SMC is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD was withdrawn by his attorney.,A 70 percent rating for PTSD from March 30, 2014 to August 1, 2017 is granted. The Veteran meets the criteria for this rating due to severe symptoms of PTSD including suicidal ideation and social impairment.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's neurobehavioral effects are related to an undiagnosed illness or chronic multi-symptom illness of the type contemplated by 38 U.S.C. § 1117 and 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including other specified trauma-stressor related disorder and depressive disorder (originally claimed as PTSD), due to new evidence showing a current diagnosis of these conditions. The Board also found that there is at least equipoise evidence suggesting a link between the Veteran's symptoms and his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety with depression is granted. The claim for service connection for personality disorder is denied. For the period prior to April 23, 2021, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for panic disorder is granted and rated at 50 percent. After April 23, 2021, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for panic disorder remains at 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, and a left arm disability due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a neuropsychiatric condition, a nervous disorder, anxiety, depression and PTSD, as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The decision also denied the claim for total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and his service-connected tinnitus. A new VA examination is needed to provide a detailed rationale on whether the depression, or any other diagnosed acquired psychiatric disability, is caused by or proximately due to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and disabilities have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his in-service stressors.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and coronary artery disease were all granted service connection. The rating for the coronary artery disease was increased to 30 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal of discontinuation of VR&E benefits and her request for retroactive induction, finding that it was not reasonably feasible to achieve a vocational goal given her disabilities and employment history.