Depression decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since November 1, 2021. The appeal for a TDIU prior to September 8, 2021, was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has been reopened and granted. The claim for hypertension remains denied, as does the claim for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder with depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current mental health symptoms are not related to his in-service experiences or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities are not service connected as they existed prior to service. The recurrent sinus disability and psychiatric disability were not shown during active service.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder were granted a 50 percent rating prior to January 6, 2020. From that date, the Veteran was denied any higher ratings.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the period prior to April 23, 2019, due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), was denied. Additionally, his claims for increased ratings for upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a retrospective opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The appellant contends that service-connected major depressive disorder contributed to the Veteran's heart failure, which was the cause of his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination addressing whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder. Additional clarification is needed on whether these conditions existed prior to or during active duty.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board denied a rating in excess of this due to insufficient occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and failure to verify claimed stressors. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a link between his in-service experiences and current symptoms.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent, but not higher, effective prior to October 1, 2012. The decision also addressed the issue of entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to October 1, 2012.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to provide proper notification for scheduled appointments.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) and a heart disorder due to additional development of records, including VA treatment records from multiple facilities and National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for depression, finding that his psychiatric disability did not manifest during active service and is not causally related to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder have been granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective September 3, 2015. The Board also remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim.

The appeal for service connection of kidney disease is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and increased rating for major depressive disorder are denied, but the Veteran is granted a 100 percent rating for his major depressive disorder.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), to include depression, is remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.