Depression decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae, an acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression), and lumbar spine osteoarthritis. The criteria for direct service connection have been met in all cases.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 11, 2017, for a 100% disability rating for service-connected Major Depressive Disorder was denied as there is no evidence of increased disability prior to that date and the Veteran did not receive proper notice regarding her scheduled VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's reported stressors and a need for further psychiatric evaluation.

The Veteran's bladder cancer, acquired psychiatric disorder (persistent depressive disorder), atrial fibrillation with congested heart failure, and aortic aneurysm are all granted service connection as due to herbicide agent exposure during his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder with posttraumatic and anxiety features and alcohol abuse disorder is found to be aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, leading to the grant of service connection for these conditions. The issues regarding hypertension and heart condition are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, and the Board dismissed all remaining issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient consideration of diagnoses and stressors, as well as secondary service connection based on medications used to treat psychiatric disorders. The VA will obtain additional medical records and provide new opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, ED, and GI disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rhinitis as a chronic respiratory condition is granted.,The claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding the timeliness of the May 2017 Notice of Disagreement (NOD) because new service treatment records were associated with the case, necessitating a reconsideration rather than reopening. The issues on appeal have been considered and denied.

The Veteran's claim for papillary bladder tumor residuals was dismissed. The petition to reopen his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted, but the issues of service connection for drug and alcohol abuse as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder and drug and alcohol abuse are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for clarification of which medications are prescribed for chronic fatigue syndrome and major depressive disorder, as well as a differentiation between symptoms attributable to each condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for PTSD and Depressive Disorder, including the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability, including persistent depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, is granted up to July 18, 2019. The appeal for a higher evaluation beyond this date is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression. The reasons are that there were inadequate nexus opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cognitive impairments are not due to his service-connected TBI, but rather are related to his already established service-connected PTSD and MDD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a TBI and its residuals is denied.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder was granted. The Board also found that Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Alcoholic Use Disorder are attributable to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new examination and additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including personality disorder, depression, and GAD.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a Statement of the Case regarding the issue of an earlier effective date for the grant of a 100 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) as secondary to her service-connected depression, finding that obesity caused or aggravated PCOS.