Depression decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition are now pending and will be reconsidered.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, mood disorder, and psychotic disorder, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete medical records and inadequate examination opinions. The Veteran's sleep disorders, including sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, are being evaluated again by a VA examiner. For his psychiatric disabilities, a VA clinician will provide an opinion on whether they were caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran failed to report for necessary VA examinations, which led to a reduction of his MDD rating from 100% to 10%. The decision denied restoration of the 100% rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeals for reopening claims of service connection for residuals of concussion, major depressive disorder, and a lumbar spine disability are remanded due to procedural errors in their initial handling.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% effective February 23, 2019. Prior to this date, the rating was 50%. The increase in symptoms from February 23, 2019, warrants a higher rating.

The Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder is rated at 50 percent prior to January 25, 2022, and a rating of 70 percent but no higher from that date. The Board found the evidence supported these ratings based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression and alcohol abuse, due to a lack of a VA examination. The Veteran's service records are silent for any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions, but he testified that his symptoms began during service and were self-medicated with alcohol.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression and PTSD was reopened, and the Board found that his in-service exposure to scud missile attacks during deployment supported a diagnosis of PTSD. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability was granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and sleep disorder, is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder is rated at 50 percent prior to April 30, 2020, and at 70 percent thereafter. The Veteran's right great toe scar is currently rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss remains unresolved.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and PTSD due to military sexual trauma, finding that there was no evidence of a valid in-service stressor or diagnosis.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, needs further development and a remand is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an etiology opinion to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression and PTSD, are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and benefits related to her TBI and other conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for back, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons include needing to address unresolved medical questions regarding alcohol consumption and its impact on the Veteran's disability picture.

The Veteran's claims for right wrist disability, scar (claimed as stab wound), right fifth finger disability, bilateral eye disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are all being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence. The claim for a 10 percent evaluation based upon multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities prior to April 23, 2021 is inextricably intertwined with these other claims.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol disorder is rated at 70 percent from August 4, 2015. The rating was granted as the symptoms more closely approximate a level of impairment associated with a 70 percent disability.

The Veteran's service-connected thoracic spine apophysitis and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression do not meet the criteria for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a) prior to April 1, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric condition, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not start during or relate to his military service.