Depression decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD due to unreconciled differences between VA opinions, questions about a possible PTSD diagnosis not discussed, buddy statements with lay evidence regarding etiology, and raised the possibility of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder has caused him to be unable to work since early 2020, as he last worked in that timeframe. His mental health conditions have significantly impacted his ability to maintain employment due to symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and difficulty adapting to stressful situations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for depressive disorder is denied as there was no indication that he sought service connection prior to March 23, 2016.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted based on in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of his back disability, left leg disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), head injury, and tailbone disability. The cases are remanded for further development including VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder NOS are currently rated as 50 percent disabling, but the Board has remanded for further development to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for back disability, depression (secondary to a service-connected condition), right hip disability (secondary to a service-connected condition), and neck disability (secondary to a service-connected condition). The Board found that there was no evidence of any current disabilities related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to issues related to the Veteran's alleged stressor and his reported in-service experiences, as well as his neck disability, headache disability, and brain aneurysm.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and a need for further development regarding the cause of the Veteran's right arm amputation, which is being considered as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and their relation to her active service. The Veteran needs additional medical opinions on whether her conditions preexisted service, were aggravated by service, or are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, depressive disorder, and substance abuse due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressor.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that the current symptomatology is encompassed within the diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for alcoholism was dismissed. The Board also remanded several other issues, including PTSD with depressive disorder, surgical scars of the right ankle, status post fracture of right ankle with ORIF, tendonitis of the left knee, actinic keratosis, and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's somatic symptom disorder with major depressive disorder is secondary to chronic pain caused by his service-connected disabilities, and thus grants the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability and physical disabilities separately result in her requiring regular aid and attendance from another person, warranting a higher rate of special monthly compensation (SMC).

The Veteran's depressive disorder with anxious distress and left lower extremity CRPS have been granted increased ratings. The issues of service connection for lumbar spine, right knee disorders, and TDIU from April 3, 2014 to May 28, 2015 are remanded.

The Veteran's voiding dysfunction, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy in each extremity, and MDD are being remanded for further evaluation.,Service connection for a left hip disorder is also being remanded as there is no indication that the condition is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to discrepancies in employment history and the impact of service-connected psychiatric disability on employability. The Veteran's TDIU claim is being reconsidered.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to incomplete employment history and impact assessments.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to June 9, 2014 for a 50 percent evaluation of service-connected other specified depressive disorder is denied. The earliest possible date for the award of this evaluation is June 9, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is being remanded due to incomplete evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions prior to September 18, 2017.