Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome and PTSD, as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and bilateral lower radiculopathy disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at a 100 percent disability rating, indicating total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been granted a 100 percent schedular rating, reflecting the severity of symptoms including suicidal ideation and depression.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities, including major depressive disorder and PTSD. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active duty or are related to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current audiometric test results.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including missing service treatment records from both periods of active duty and Veteran Center records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as he was employed full-time prior to June 8, 2020. The Board finds that TDIU is not warranted based on the single service-connected disability of his back condition.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the Veteran did not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of depressive disorder associated with prostate cancer was denied as the criteria were not met or approximated.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and relevant evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature, etiology, and relationship of any psychiatric disability to in-service stressors.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of May 10, 2021 for a 70 percent evaluation for service-connected Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated those required for a 70 percent rating as of this date.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an examination to determine if the Veteran's depression and anxiety are secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II due to a lack of evidence showing the condition was incurred in or aggravated by active service.,Service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, was also denied because the primary condition (diabetes) was not found to be service-connected.

The Board denied the claim for DIC based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to link any service-connected disability to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent effective February 14, 2019. The Board has granted a higher rating from the current 50 percent to 70 percent.

The Veteran's appeal regarding a higher disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder prior to August 27, 2020 is remanded due to the Board not obtaining all relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The SSA records are potentially relevant as they may contain information about the Veteran's condition that could affect his disability evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including unspecified depressive disorder, headaches, left shoulder tendonitis and impingement, and tinnitus, may have prevented him from maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 12, 2021. The Board finds that referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration is warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder and migraines, including migraine variants, have been granted effective September 16, 2016.,An initial rating of 70 percent has been assigned for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for major depressive disorder, neurocognitive disorder, SMC based on need for aid and attendance (A & A), right lower extremity PAD, left lower extremity PAD, and bowel incontinence were all granted effective the dates indicated. The service connection for these conditions was determined to have arisen earlier than the date of claim.