Depression decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, while his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder) was granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining relevant treatment records and verifying a claimed stressor event. The Veteran's current non-PTSD psychiatric conditions are also being evaluated for their relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, has been reopened and granted. The claims for a compensable disability rating for the residual(s) of amputation of the left ring finger and initial compensable evaluation for scarring of the left ring finger are remanded.

The appeal for severance of service connection for Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depression is granted. The appeal for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to new evidence received after the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case.

Entitlement to an earlier effective date of August 1, 2017 for the 70 percent evaluation for major depressive disorder (MDD) is granted.,Entitlement to an effective date earlier than January 26, 2018 for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date earlier than January 26, 2018 for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve is denied.,Eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 (DEA benefits) prior to January 26, 2018 is denied.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a sinus disability, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The cases are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and a right knee disability have been remanded due to the need for additional development. The Veteran is presumed credible regarding his statements about the onset and persistence of his symptoms. VA treatment records show a diagnosis of knee arthralgia. An examination is needed to clarify the diagnoses and their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need to verify in-service stressors and determine if the Veteran served in Vietnam or other locations where herbicide exposure is presumed.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected depressive disorder is denied. The issue of entitlement to TDIU based on the same period is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (diagnosed as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder) is granted service connection. The issue of service connection for a disability manifested by fatigue is remanded due to medical ambiguity.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent disability rating from August 26, 2016, to May 3, 2018. The symptoms included occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for depression was denied as the claim was not filed within one year of the final denial.,Service connection for right hip degenerative joint disease and back disability were both denied due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating and TDIU was remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressors and the adequacy of the VA examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 100 percent for PTSD with intermittent explosive disorder and unspecified depressive disorder, effective January 27, 2011. The effective date for TDIU and DEA eligibility is also set to this date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to a procedural defect in the docketing of their appeal under the AMA, and they need to provide VA treatment records from the Austin Vet Center.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for service connection of major depressive disorder.