Depression decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions and a missed VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, is being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding causation or aggravation by service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are currently diagnosed, and an addendum opinion is needed to address whether these conditions are related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for additional VR&E services and reimbursement for medical school training, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from performing his previously rehabilitated occupation as a personal trainer. The Board also found no evidence of suitability issues related to his employment handicap.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient examination reports and a need for further medical opinions. The Veteran's conditions are related to his Gulf War service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other specified depressive disorder, finding that there was no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5 criteria.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, but denied all other issues on appeal.,Service connection was not established for any of the conditions on appeal.

The Veteran is granted an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD prior to December 30, 2015. The decision also denied a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and cannabis use disorder, has prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU based on the schedular criteria for assignment of a TDIU.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU as of July 1, 2016, but no earlier. As of March 20, 2019, the criteria for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability are not met.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities.

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including somatic symptom disorder and major depressive disorder.,Service connection is also granted for tremors as aggravated by the service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a traumatic brain injury due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding the evidence in approximate balance regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the Board is remanding this issue.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen claims of service connection for a skin disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than unspecified anxiety disorder with depression, a stomach disorder, a neck disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The Board is remanding these claims as well.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication of issues related to service connection, including those involving residuals of hammertoes, low back disability, hypertension, heart disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, GERD, colon disability, and headache.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a higher rating for his left knee disability are being remanded. The reduction of the 10 percent rating for the residuals of left knee meniscectomy effective January 1, 2019 is restored.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding new and material evidence. The issues of entitlement to service connection have been reopened, but further development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's depressive disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in relative balance as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was incurred during his military service. The benefit-of-the-doubt rule is applied, and therefore, entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and a depressive disorder, secondary to TBI, is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his psychiatric disability, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and headaches associated with TBI were denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.