Depression decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric conditions, kidney disability, tinnitus, hypertension, diverticulitis, bronchitis, asthma, glaucoma, diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and Alzheimer's disease are not service-connected.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression is rated at 50% from December 4, 2013. The cervical fusion is rated at 30% from April 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including a depressive disorder and an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, are found to be secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a proper medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including memory loss, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, is being reviewed again as his contentions of in-service exposure to chemicals/paint fumes are credible. Sleep apnea is also under review with a request for an opinion on whether it is secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected psychiatric disability, and therefore grants TDIU with a rating of 70% for depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymia, depression and anxiety as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for memory problems was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain relevant private treatment records and VA treatment records for the period from September 2017 to the present. The Veteran's attorney noted that the most recent treatment records are dated in September 2017.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depressive disorder, should be remanded due to insufficient evidence. The case will need further examination by VA.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to determine the current severity of the service-connected depressive disorder and whether it can be differentiated from symptoms related to a post-cerebrovascular accident.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease with balance impairment, right and left upper extremity rigidity, tremors, and bradykinesia associated with Parkinson's disease, speech changes, stooped posture, partial loss of smell, difficulty of chewing, constipation, and SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance have all been denied.,The Veteran's service connection claims for unspecified depressive disorder with major neurocognitive disorder associated with Parkinson's disease and right side loss of automatic movements associated with Parkinson's disease have not met the criteria for an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information about the Veteran's claimed stressors and a need for additional development, including obtaining verification of his reported PTSD stressors.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: the Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for persistent depressive disorder and his service connection claim for somatic symptom disorder, which is secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The decision also notes that there are pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors regarding obtaining private mental health treatment records and considering the Veteran's contentions about his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Agoraphobia have prevented her from obtaining and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since January 8, 2019. The Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder. The decision is based on evidence that her in-service sexual assault contributed to her current mental health conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 20, 2016 for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, and mood disorder. The Veteran's consistent reports of in-service trauma have been corroborated by medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder was reopened and granted. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's PTSD and MDD with anxious distress have been rated at 70 percent since November 27, 2015. The appeal is denied as the symptoms do not meet criteria for a higher rating.