Depression decisions — 2021

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from May 7, 2014 to July 30, 2014 and an extraschedular TDIU from May 13, 2013 to May 6, 2014 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at a 50 percent rating since June 22, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed nervous condition, including whether it is related to service and/or his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability. A new VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's MDD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board found that this rating adequately reflects her symptoms. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has found sufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran experienced a personal assault during service, and thus remands for an addendum opinion regarding her diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

Service connection is granted for Major Depressive Disorder, OSA, CAD, and Hypertension as secondary to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Veteran's low back disability, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, sinusitis, and thyroid disease are not currently service connected.

The Veteran's TMJD is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his inter-incisal range of motion.,Prior to January 21, 2021, the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder warrants a 50 percent disability rating due to occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty establishing effective work relationships.,From January 21, 2021, the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder warrants a disability rating in excess of 70 percent due to occupational and social impairment with marked decrease in work efficiency and inability to perform tasks. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his symptoms such as panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.,The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to January 21, 2021 due to service-connected disabilities precluding him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for her psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and MDD. The claim will be reviewed again with a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the DSM-V criteria for an acquired psychiatric disorder and whether any such disorders are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's reported stressors and to obtain a VA examination for his acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of all current psychiatric diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder, is related to his military service and the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, mood disorder with anxious and depressive features, and unspecified depressive disorder due to a lack of current diagnoses or causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are rated at 30% prior to October 2, 2019, and 50% on or after that date. The appeal is mixed as some issues were granted (PTSD) while others were denied (Major Depressive Disorder).

The Board has remanded the case for an additional VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to service or his service-connected DVT.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, effective from October 16, 2006. The rating is based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, left ankle disability, psychiatric disorder (claimed as major depressive disorder), and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle disability due to incomplete examination reports and outstanding SSA records.