Depression decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, sleep apnea, and PTSD with depressive disorder. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other appealed claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The right elbow disorder claim was not addressed as it did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified adjustment disorder and other specified depressive disorder, as there is no current diagnosis of such disorders.

The Veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for Parkinson's disease from September 11, 2002, to April 15, 2011. The Board finds the evidence insufficient to fully evaluate the severity of the residuals and needs additional information.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected major depressive disorder and any related medications. The opinions must also address whether obesity, which may be related to his service-connected conditions, plays a role in the development of his sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions obtained in prior remands were inadequate and that new addendum opinions are necessary to address whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service-connected head injury residuals, specifically as secondary to such residuals.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD with depressive disorder and unspecified neurocognitive disorder was denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his depressive disorder was denied, with the exception of a grant of a 70 percent rating from November 8, 2019 to September 27, 2020. The initial compensable rating for a lumbar scar spine and TDIU prior to June 29, 2020 were also granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and will need to verify the Veteran's Army Reserve duty periods and obtain any associated medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to service connection for major depressive disorder and a sleep disorder, including upper airway resistance syndrome.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder as secondary to her service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to outstanding VA treatment records from 1975, which need to be obtained from the Biloxi VAMC.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia with possible psychosis, began in service or is otherwise related to service. The scope of the claim was improperly narrowed by the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders and their relationship to his military service. The VA needs to obtain additional treatment records and schedule a VA examination for an opinion on the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to additional evidence received. The issues include increased rating for PTSD, effective date determination, service connection for female sexual arousal disorder, vulvar dermatitis, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, and headaches due to inadequate development of evidence. The Veteran's STRs pertaining to his period of ACDUTRA from February 1993 to June 1993 need to be obtained, as well as a separation examination report and hospitalization records if available. An appropriate VA examination is needed for both the psychiatric disorder and headaches claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, migraine headaches, and erectile dysfunction are granted. The claim for service connection for a recurrent left third finger disability is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate consideration of the adequacy and staleness of previous VA examinations, particularly regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and its relationship to service-connected diabetes mellitus.