Depression decisions — 2023

The Board has withdrawn the appeals for service connection for HIV and fatigue. The case is now remanded for further action on the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew all of his appeals seeking service connection for any acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

The Board has determined that the claims for PTSD, other specified depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder should be remanded due to incomplete development of evidence.

Your appeals for service connection have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn them.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, but the issues are dismissed as moot due to prior grant of benefits.,The Veteran's claims for treatment purposes under 38 U.S.C. chapter 17 for various conditions remain pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder are currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The appeal is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to in-service personal assaults and acoustic trauma, respectively. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction associated with chronic prostatitis was denied. The service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to multiple service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and ED, is granted.,TDIU from March 1, 2023, is granted, but TDIU from December 22, 2021 to March 1, 2023, was denied. The discontinuance of the 100% rating for prostate cancer as of March 1, 2023, and a rating of over 60% for prostate cancer residuals with status post prostatectomy are also addressed.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection of a skin disability due to untimely filing of an NOD. The appeal regarding restoration of the 50% rating for psychiatric disorders was granted, but the reduction from 50% to noncompensable was found improper and restored the rating.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of cervical spine surgery was denied as the surgery did not cause an additional disability, and there is no evidence that it caused his current condition.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted due to his service-connected major depressive disorder which precludes him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right and left total knee replacements, but granted SMC based on a need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining evidence to corroborate the Veteran's claimed stressors and for an opinion on whether any current psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Board denied increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, as well as a major depressive disorder with anxious distress. The Veteran's knee disabilities were rated at 10 percent each, while his shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's depressive disorder and whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's PTSD, with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, is rated at 70 percent. The Veteran also received a grant for TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety and depression. A new VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being remanded to obtain missing service records and conduct medical examinations. The specific issues include bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (secondary to other conditions), skeletal arthritis, bowel disorder, low back disorder, hip disorders, knee disorders, and foot disorders.

The Board has determined that the medical opinions regarding the appellant's Crohn's disease are inadequate and remanded for a new opinion. The issues of service connection for various conditions, including depression, gastroparesis, regional enteritis of small intestine, psoriasis, arthritis, and osteoporosis, are also being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are rated at a 100 percent disability rating from May 27, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and MDD, finding that her symptoms are related to in-service personal trauma.