Depression decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under U.S.C. § 1151 as his additional disability of residuals of a cerebrovascular accident and depression was not caused by carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA in furnishing treatment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders first manifested during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection to depressive disorder and back disability are denied.,The Veteran's claim for higher staged ratings for his depressive disorder is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disability (to include depression), and heart disability due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and other mental health conditions, may be related to military sexual trauma (MST) during her service. However, further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are indeed due to MST.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU based solely on his service-connected PTSD effective January 17, 2013.,SMC at the housebound rate for the entire appeal period is granted beginning June 2, 2013.,An initial rating in excess of 70 percent evaluation for PTSD is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is related to his active duty service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and the need for a new VA examination to determine if any psychiatric disorders are related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his depressive disorder and TDIU claims is being remanded for further development. The depressive disorder claim will be evaluated based on the most recent VA examination, while the TDIU claim requires additional information about the Veteran's educational and employment history.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, migraine headaches, an acquired psychiatric condition, and hypothyroidism due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran testified that his conditions are related to service-connected sleep apnea syndromes.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability and its relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus with his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, headaches, and allergies. The claims for bowel condition, gastrointestinal condition, hepatitis C in remission, sinusitis, and skin disability are all remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verifying his current mailing address and requesting that he complete VA forms and submit relevant evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of his PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is dismissed as he withdrew the appeal through his attorney.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, unspecified trauma and stress related disorder, and adjustment disorder, should be remanded due to procedural errors in the initial rating decision and insufficient evidence regarding his claimed stressors.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his service, and whether they clearly and unmistakably preexisted service.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another (A&A) or being housebound (HB) due to his service-connected depression was denied as he does not meet the criteria for such benefits.

The Board has remanded the claim for an updated VA examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is related to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and hypothyroidism. The examiner must consider various medical articles discussing associations between OSA and psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and PTSD, is granted service connection. The rating for bilateral hearing loss remains at 20 percent from December 8, 2021.