Depression decisions — 2024

The Veteran's back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted service connection. The Veteran's vertigo is remanded for further review due to insufficient evidence. Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder and somatic symptom disorder) is also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression) as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for obstructive sleep apnea and major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for further VA psychiatric evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder due to the lack of a diagnosed condition related to service.

The Board denied service connection for lung cancer, depression, tumors of the brain, and tumors of the spine as secondary to prostate cancer. The Veteran's prostate cancer was not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for a higher disability rating and TDIU have been remanded due to the VA's failure to obtain relevant medical records from the Vet Center, private treatment facilities, SSA, and VR&E program.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including allergic rhinitis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, earaches, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hip conditions, shoulder conditions, hand and knee arthritis, lumbago, plantar fasciitis, and upper extremity radiculopathy. The evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a link to service for any condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a head injury was denied as there is no current diagnosis of residuals or TBI.,The Veteran's MDD, recurrent episode with anxious distress, was granted with a 70% disability rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities. The right knee disability, neck disability, and major depressive disorder claims are remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion regarding their etiology.,The Board has also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder due to a lack of sufficient medical opinion regarding its onset during service.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance from March 12, 2021, due to his service-connected depressive disorder and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on bilateral knee disabilities alone from September 14, 2018 to June 25, 2019.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is rated at 70% and his combined rating is 90%, meeting the schedular requirements for a TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and additional development is needed, including obtaining VA examinations for psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, unspecified personality disorder with histrionic and borderline traits, and major depressive disorder have all been denied as there is no verified in-service stressor for PTSD, the diagnosis of a personality disorder does not meet VA compensation criteria, and the depression and anxiety symptoms are considered part of the pre-existing personality disorder.,The Veteran's service treatment records indicate he was diagnosed with a hysterical personality disorder during service. The Board found that his current unspecified personality disorder is less likely than not caused by or related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for depression, insomnia, and anxiety disorder due to a lack of an examination or medical opinion addressing these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial disability rating of major depressive disorder from April 7, 2015 have been granted. The Veteran is now rated at 100% for major depressive disorder as of that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of August 17, 2020, for his award of a 100 percent disability rating for unspecified depressive disorder (previously adjustment disorder with depressed mood) claimed as depression and anxiety. The effective date is based on the fact that the increase in disability occurred after the date of claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was granted with an effective date of July 16, 2011. The Board found that the new and material evidence submitted in June 2013 allowed for a reconsideration of her earlier filed claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Veteran's MDD with GAD is rated at 70 percent disabling effective April 25, 2019. The claim for an earlier effective date was denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, is rated at a 70 percent disability level for the entire appeal period.