Depression decisions — 2023

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, major depressive disorder, and PTSD, are found to be directly related to his military service.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis disability is rated at 50 percent from June 3, 2020. The appeal for a greater than 10 percent rating prior to that date was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder. The decision is based on evidence in relative equipoise concerning whether OSA is caused and/or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease is granted as secondary to herbicide agent exposure.,PTSD and depressive disorder are rated at 50 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.,Bilateral hearing loss has a non-compensable rating.,Prostate cancer remains in remission; the Veteran's current symptoms do not warrant an increased rating.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (femoral nerve) is rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2017 and at 20 percent from that date onward.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (femoral nerve) remains at a 20 percent rating.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 40 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 40 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates of service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as Unspecified Depressive Disorder with Anxious Distress, is granted service connection. Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and a disorder manifested by dizziness are denied. The claim for essential tremors remains pending.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder strain, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis (other than post-traumatic), and unspecified depressive disorder as these conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. His initial rating for bilateral pes planus prior to August 24, 2020, remains at 10 percent; however, a higher rating of 50 percent is assigned from that date onwards.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to non-compliance with prior remands. The AOJ is required to verify if there was a Naval collision involving the Tugboat Oshkosh and a U.S. Navy submarine in May 1973 at Norfolk, Virginia. If unconfirmed, an examination will be arranged to determine if the Veteran has depression disorder and its relationship to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and a back disorder due to incomplete rationale in previous opinions. The Veteran contends that his current conditions are related to hearing about his friend from high school who died during service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent disability rating effective January 12, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder due to a lack of credible evidence supporting these conditions as being related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including persistent depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, is granted as service connected due to aggravation by military sexual trauma experienced during basic training.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and their relationship to his service-connected skin disability and a laceration on the left side of the head. The Veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD, which he claims is related to his active service.

The Veteran's cervical spine DJD received a 20% rating from December 12, 2011 to January 28, 2014. The entire period saw a 20% rating for the left upper extremity radiculopathy and a 70% rating for major depressive disorder. A TDIU was granted starting from January 27, 2019.

The Veteran's neurobehavioral effects, including unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, are granted as due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including depression and PTSD, is reopened. The case is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction was denied. The Board found the evidence against a finding that his ED is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. For TDIU, the Veteran was granted from April 30, 2014 to present due to combined disability rating of 70 percent and not meeting schedular criteria prior to February 6, 2013.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder is granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from October 25, 2016. The claim for service connection for a left ankle disability has been reopened due to the receipt of new evidence.