Depression decisions — 2022

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD and TBI is rated at 70 percent, effective December 6, 2016. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for chest pains.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, needs to be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the current record.

The Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities, along with his depressive disorder, render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 50% rating beginning April 29, 2011. The appeal for higher ratings remains pending.

The Veteran's left hip and pinky finger disabilities have been granted service connection. The appeal for tinnitus, hyperlipidemia, and residuals of a first finger injury has been dismissed.,The appeals for PTSD, anxiety, depression, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right hip disability are pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder have been reopened. The acquired psychiatric disorders are found to be related to his service-connected TBI and leg disabilities. His rating for the status post excision, xanthofibroma, left proximal fibula with old ununited proximal fracture with scar has been restored from 10% to 20%. Other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was initially denied in 2009, but she continuously pursued the claim. The Board found that her August 2010 submission should be construed as a notice of disagreement with the February 2010 denial of service connection for major depressive disorder and granted an earlier effective date of November 7, 2008.

The Board has denied service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and has remanded the issues of service connection for a cervical spine disability, left arm radiculopathy secondary to a cervical spine disability, low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depression.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to October 12, 2020. From that date, the evidence shows a more severe level of impairment warranting a 70 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations and failure to verify his reported stressors. The matter will be returned for further action.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to incomplete records, lack of medical opinions on all claimed stressors, and need for additional examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD with major depressive disorder and anxiety is denied. The Board finds the current rating of 70 percent for PTSD is appropriate, but remands to obtain a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after a final decision, and will consider all psychiatric disorders including PTSD related to service. The Veteran's substance abuse disorder is also being evaluated.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, depression, and/or anxiety. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including depression, bipolar disorder, and paranoid schizophrenia, are related to service. A VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for reactive depression, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and gastrointestinal disorder (IBS) have been withdrawn or reopened. The cases are now remanded for further development.,Service connection remains pending for the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee conditions, along with his depressive disorder, prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's MDD is granted as service connected. The breathing problem and sleep disorder are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, with the exception of periods prior to April 11, 2019 where he did not meet schedular criteria for TDIU.