Depression decisions — 2022

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for major depressive disorder, bipolar II disorder, and left ankle disorder. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, residuals of a head injury (TBI), migraine headaches, and major depressive disorder. The conditions are found to have had their onset in service or are proximately due to the service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine if new and material evidence has been received for several service connection claims, including sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, left leg injury residuals, bilateral knee arthritis, left thigh numbness (secondary to lumbar strain), gout, depression, and high cholesterol. The Veteran's SSA records are requested as they may be relevant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding her low back, left knee, psychiatric, chemical exposure, skin cancer, genitourinary, hypothyroidism, and muscle damage disabilities. The appeals will be further evaluated based on the results of these examinations.

The Board has remanded the issue of whether the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU prior to August 26, 2016 due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for entitlement to a TDIU during this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia; a right knee disability secondary to the left knee; and increased ratings for the right shoulder and left knee.

The Veteran's PTSD, with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, resulted in total occupational and social impairment prior to February 3, 2021. The Board granted a 100% disability rating for this period.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for lumbar degenerative disease, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The TDIU and nonservice-connected pension benefits claims are also being remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including persistent depressive disorder and unspecified trauma stressor related disorder, is granted as service connected. The claim for mechanical low back pain is denied.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder was rated at 30%, 50%, and 70% from February 5, 2015, June 23, 2017, and August 1, 2021 respectively. The rating for lumbar strain with degenerative joint/disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome was rated at 40%. Both ratings were denied.,The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it did not cause occupational and social impairment in most areas.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and a thoracolumbar spine disability, as these conditions are secondary to other service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's appeals regarding right knee patellofemoral arthritis and left knee arthritis have been reduced from 30 percent to 10 percent effective February 25, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically unspecified depressive disorder, finding it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating or TDIU, and the case is remanded to consider these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and depression, is due to his military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board dismissed all the claims as they are related to a deceased Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's depression and obesity, which is necessary for service connection of sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 7, 2012 for a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and cocaine-use disorder. This decision is based on evidence showing increased severity in symptoms since that date.

The Veteran's depression is currently rated at 50 percent as of February 23, 2015. The Board denied an increased rating for the condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 27, 2013 for tinnitus is denied as there was no communication prior to that date indicating intent to apply for service connection.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 27, 2006 for psychiatric disorder (post-traumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder) is dismissed as a matter of law due to the finality of the April 2007 rating decision awarding service connection and assigning a noncompensable rating.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 21, 2014 for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for multiple actinic keratoses and melanoma is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records from prior to the Veteran's second period of service in 2006. The focus is on determining if the Veteran's preexisting psychiatric condition was aggravated by his service.