Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for its decision, requiring a reevaluation of the evidence including newly submitted material.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder with psychotic features and alcohol use disorder, is rated at 100 percent effective March 4, 2020. The Board denied a TDIU prior to this date due to lack of evidence showing unemployability related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in an August 2022 rating decision, as the August 2022 rating decision was the initial decision with respect to all granted issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and OSA as there is no new and relevant evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, Depressive Disorder, and Hepatic Steatosis have been granted. The claim for PTSD is based on new evidence showing the condition may be related to service-connected conditions or events. The claim for Hepatic Steatosis is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances were not properly appealed due to a timing issue with the VA Form 10182. As such, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety and major depressive disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during service, but not directly linked to service. His anxiety and depression may be related to harassment by leadership during service.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50% initially, and the Board granted a higher rating of 70% for the entire initial rating appeal period from September 9, 2014 to November 8, 2023.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, sciatic radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, chronic left ankle sprain, left knee strain, tinnitus, and left hand eczema with resolved cellulitis, do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD with panic disorder, without agoraphobia and major depressive disorder, recurring, moderate is granted a 70 percent rating effective October 12, 2020.,The Veteran's migraine including migraine variants is granted a 30 percent rating effective March 4, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 9, 2019, for service connection for his acquired psychiatric condition is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for his acquired psychiatric condition is denied. The current rating of 70 percent is considered the highest possible under the applicable criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for anxiety/depression, bradycardia, hearing loss, left knee disability, low back disability, migraines, right ankle disability, and tinnitus due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ should provide an examination for the Appellant's bradycardia.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the previous decisions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, which may be related to service. The Veteran seeks service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders and bilateral foot shedding have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors and will schedule a VA examination for a psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, bilateral wrist condition, and bilateral foot pes planus are all granted as service-connected. The eating disorder claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and medical opinion are inadequate for adjudication, and thus remands the claims of service connection for PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of cancer of the throat, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression as they have been granted in a previous rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and evaluation of major depressive disorder (MDD) with psychotic features is denied.,Service connection for cirrhosis of the liver is denied as there is no evidence that it began during service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for left shoulder disability is denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease and no persuasive evidence linking current condition to service.,Service connection for right shoulder disability is denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease and no persuasive evidence linking current condition to service.