Depression decisions — 2023

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent from September 10, 2012 to October 14, 2018. The rating will remain at this level until a higher rating can be granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disability has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depression) and tinnitus. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability remains pending.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, should be remanded for further examination to determine its etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disability, PTSD, depression, and head injury due to a lack of medical evidence addressing the onset and continuity of symptoms related to these conditions during active service.

The Veteran was granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder, effective July 15, 2015. He also received TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate.,Effective August 20, 2015, the Veteran will be in receipt of TDIU on account of his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder alone.

The Board has remanded the claims for whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the service connection claims for psychiatric disability, penile disability, abscesses of the groin area including the scrotum and buttocks, and cellulitis of the lower extremities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 25, 2018 to April 17, 2019. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for consideration of additional VA treatment records and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for major depressive disorder and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include generalized anxiety disorder, are pending.

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

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, as it is not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep disorder and its relationship to his service-connected psychiatric disability, as well as whether he has any other separate and distinct sleep disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a back disability have been denied. The claim for the back disability is being remanded due to new evidence received, but the psychiatric disorder claim remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 22, 2016, but no earlier, for service connection of major depressive disorder is granted. The Board also remanded the case to schedule a VA mental health examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher. Service connection for depression was denied. The Veteran is granted TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for readjudication due to new evidence received since the December 2019 SOC. The issues of an increased rating for depressive disorder and entitlement to a TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities and depression, with obesity acting as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's service-connected persistent depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, effective May 8, 2023. The Board denied a higher rating for the disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient discussion of the combat presumption and incomplete VA medical opinions. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is now before the Board again.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for his psychiatric disability from January 31, 2018 to December 8, 2020 was denied. The claim for TDIU prior to September 1, 2018 was also denied. However, the Veteran's claim for a TDIU effective September 1, 2018 was granted.