Depression decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration, including service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression), diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for COPD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin condition, and sleep apnea due to herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran is not provided with VA examinations as his diagnoses are current and he has provided sufficient evidence of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU prior to September 23, 2020 are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome, finding that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of such condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis, memory loss as secondary to multiple sclerosis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety and depression) as secondary to multiple sclerosis due to lack of direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for her psychiatric disability is denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and nervousness and depression have been granted. The Board has determined that new evidence was submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle disability, hypertension, disability of the lower extremities (including restless leg syndrome and leg cramps), obstructive sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disability (including depression and PTSD) due to incomplete medical records and uncorroborated in-service stressors.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is granted as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability. His initial rating for the right shoulder is also granted at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining VA medical opinions addressing the etiology of his diagnosed psychiatric disorders on a direct and secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for Major Depressive Disorder and Degenerative Disc Disease were denied, as the medical evidence did not support a rating in excess of 50 percent and 10 percent respectively. The appeal for service connection for a Cervical Spine Disorder was also denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran's MDD with AUD is granted a 100% rating, but the issue of service connection for any other psychiatric disability remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, and a compensable rating for scars on the left shoulder due to missing VA examinations.

The Veteran's depressive disorder was previously rated as 30 percent prior to October 13, 2017. Effective October 13, 2017, the rating has been increased to 50 percent.,The appeal is mixed with some issues granted and others not.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining relevant records from the Social Security Administration and clarifying the use of medication for his mental health disability symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, depression), and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD was granted. The low back disability received increased ratings, while other claims were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his low back disability and left shoulder disability, are found to have caused his psychiatric disorder.,Effective March 28, 2016, the Veteran is granted a 30 percent rating for his aggravated congenital absence of pectoralis major in the left shoulder.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hand, knee, and ankle disabilities as well as his psychiatric disorders due to inadequate examination and opinion. Additional examinations are needed to address these issues.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in multiple conditions have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his appeal by the appellant.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to July 5, 2017 and at 70 percent thereafter. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.,There is insufficient evidence to substantiate the claim for TDIU prior to July 5, 2017.