Depression decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of uterine fibroids, hysterectomy as secondary to uterine fibroids, and MDD as secondary to hysterectomy. The lumbosacral strain issue is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the Veteran's alcohol abuse disorder is caused and/or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is related to his military service. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected depression has been granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective April 26, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and TDIU due to incomplete research on the Veteran's claimed stressors from November 1975 to June 1978. Further development is needed to verify these stressors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety with depression has been reopened and granted. The claims for service connection for a left eye disorder, peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower extremity, bilateral leg orthopedic disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, arthritis of the shoulders, arthritis of the neck, sinus disorder, right eye disorder (glaucoma and cataract), erectile dysfunction, and heart disorder have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one is required for determining service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's neck condition and pain in the arms and hands disability are denied as not related to service or a service-connected disability.,Service connection for depression is remanded due to conflicting opinions regarding its relationship with tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to a service-connected disability, increased ratings for major depressive disorder/dysthymia and TBI, post traumatic headaches, and degenerative disc disease lumbar spine. The VA examinations were canceled due to the Veteran being incarcerated.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder disability, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically dysthymia, is remanded due to worsening symptoms since the last VA examination in December 2018. The Board requires a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current disability level warrants an increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is causally related to an in-service personal assault (the 1987 Abduction).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 17, 2014 for the grant of service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder and cannabis use disorder. The Veteran's claim was previously denied in July 2015 due to a lack of verified stressor event, but new evidence received after this decision showed that the Veteran had experienced an in-service PTSD stressor event prior to December 17, 2014.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of current diagnoses and insufficient evidence linking his claimed conditions to his active-duty service.,Additional development is required to determine if the Veteran currently suffers from any of these conditions, as well as whether they are related to his military service.

The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, eye disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been reopened. The Veteran's right and left knee limitation of extension are now rated at 30 percent each.

The Board has remanded the cases for issuance of a Statement of Case (SOC) and proper procedural requirements, as the issues have not yet been addressed in an SOC.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination. The Board will consider new evidence submitted since the last denial of his claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his part-time employment as an attorney, which exceeds the poverty threshold and does not qualify as marginal employment.