Depression decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back pain, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and an acquired psychiatric condition (including depressive disorder and anxiety disorder) due to incomplete service treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability, including PTSD and related conditions like anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and Bipolar I Disorder, is related to his service stressors. The appeal for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for an effective date prior to March 17, 2021 for service connection and rating of psychiatric disability and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs to provide evidence that he submitted a complete application before March 17, 2021 and VA treatment records from Dr. Cobb.

The Veteran's claim for a 100% rating for Major Depressive Disorder and service connection for the residuals of a stroke were denied. The effective date for the 100% rating was set at March 10, 2023.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders (MDD and PTSD) are found to be related to service, and the bilateral eye disorder is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's depression and insomnia are already compensated as part of his service-connected PTSD rating. The Board is remanding the claim for obstructive sleep apnea, which may be related to his service-connected PTSD.,Obstructive sleep apnea is being considered on a secondary basis due to its potential connection to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral glaucoma, bilateral cataract, right macula drusen and erectile dysfunction due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted as service connected.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder was granted an increased rating to 50 percent from August 20, 2015 to March 11, 2019. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder was denied. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA were granted as of September 25, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy have been dismissed. The claim of service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling an examination. The appeal is granted in part as new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as he had full-time employment until March 2016, and his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for DEA benefits was also denied because the award of a TDIU precluded such eligibility.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, Depressive Disorder, and a Left Hip Disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records review.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied prior to May 1, 2021 due to his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. From May 1, 2021, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based solely on service-connected steatocystoma multiplex.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, is granted as service connected.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, and the combined effects of these conditions have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.,The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities that cause chronic pain and other symptoms, which aggravate his diagnosed psychiatric condition.

The Board has dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left shoulder disability due to the Veteran's withdrawal at his July 2022 hearing. The issue of psychiatric disability (to include PTSD and anxiety/depression) is remanded.

The Veteran's major depression disorder is rated at 70 percent prior to February 7, 2014 and granted TDIU and SMC based on this condition starting from July 12, 2012.

Service connection has been granted for PTSD, MDD, and CFS.,Right carpal tunnel syndrome and left carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded due to lack of current diagnosis.