Depression decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include depression and anxiety.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are secondary to his service-connected back condition.

An earlier effective date of November 13, 2014 for service connection of unspecified depressive disorder is granted.,For the initial rating period from November 13, 2014 to January 14, 2019, a higher initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder is denied.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder with mood disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective from November 1, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms more nearly approximated occupational and social impairment associated with a 70 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's clothing allowance for the 2018 benefit year is granted due to her use of a manual wheelchair for mobility, which caused wear and tear on her clothing.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, has been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed stressors. The Board is seeking additional information from the Veteran.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU from June 9, 2009, finding that his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus and a rating in excess of 70 percent for not otherwise specified anxiety disorder and not otherwise specified depressive disorder has been dismissed due to the accredited representative withdrawing the appeals.

The Veteran's PTSD and MDD are currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, depression, and PTSD to include substance abuse due to new evidence received since the August 2013 rating decision. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, finding no in-service stressor or other evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for ED was also denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the condition and service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder, and remanded the cases regarding hypertension, respiratory disorder, headaches, and SMC.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder, including his inpatient ECT treatment and VA outpatient rTMS treatment. The AOJ must obtain any missing VA treatment records from December 2018 to present.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right shoulder disability and major depressive disorder, render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on his service-connected disabilities, which include an unspecified depressive disorder, skin conditions, and a left index finger condition. The effective date will be determined by the AOJ.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service stressors. The decision also acknowledges other psychiatric diagnoses but attributes them to the now service-connected PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral hand disability due to additional development being necessary. The issue of nonservice-connected pension is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to his symptoms not meeting criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's effective date for service connection of somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and unspecified depressive disorder is granted as December 4, 2013. The initial rating claim and TDIU prior to December 19, 2014, are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 24, 2018 for the award of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The decision found that the Veteran did not file a formal claim until September 24, 2018 and thus, the earliest effective date is September 24, 2018.