Depression decisions — 2021

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, other specified depressive disorder, and other specified personality disorder, finding that there is no evidence establishing a medical nexus between his service and his current psychiatric disability.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, effective June 24, 2009.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not begin during service or are otherwise etiologically related to his active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and MDD. However, it denied service connection due to lack of evidence showing current diagnoses or a link between service and these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol abuse is rated at 70 percent from December 8, 2009. A TDIU rating is granted as of February 1, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The rating for scarring associated with dermatitis and folliculitis was denied, as the condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7800. The rating for painful and unstable scars was also denied, as there were no more than two unstable or painful scars. The rating for dermatitis and folliculitis was denied, as it did not cover at least 20% of the entire body or exposed areas. A compensable rating for alopecia was denied, as the condition did not meet the criteria under Diagnostic Code 7831. The Veteran's depressive disorder received a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder alone has precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and he also has additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more disabling. Therefore, the Veteran is entitled to special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's PTSD with associated depression, cannabis, and alcohol abuse is rated at 70 percent since January 31, 2013. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a higher rating or service connection for the right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines and a psychiatric disability have been granted. The claim for urinary condition remains denied.,An effective date earlier than June 9, 2018, is not warranted for the grant of service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, and thus grants service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids was denied. The claims of service connection for a low back disability and a psychiatric disorder were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is rated at a 100 percent since February 28, 2019, due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. The Board has also remanded the cases of diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder is granted a 50% evaluation throughout the appeal period. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for back disability are remanded.

The Board has granted the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major recurrent depression, finding that it is related to in-service sexual harassment.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the June 2015 remand directives and thus another remand is required. The VA medical opinion should address whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities had their clinical onset in service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inconsistencies in employment status and the need for clarification.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted a 30 percent evaluation prior to October 7, 2019 and denied any higher rating thereafter.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to DIC based on service connection for cause of death, finding that neither service-connected PTSD nor any other service-connected disorder was a principal or contributory cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing VA and private treatment records, determining which communications the Veteran did not receive from VA, clarifying his employment status, and scheduling a new VA examination to assess his employability.