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, as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in developing the claim for skin boils, including potential exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's history of recurrent skin abscesses is being reviewed by a physician to determine if they are related to military service or presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's mental health conditions, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are rated at 70 percent. The rating is granted but not higher.

The Veteran's PTSD did not manifest by symptoms productive of total occupational and social impairment, so the claim for an increased rating must be denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for hearing loss, anxiety disorder, and adjustment disorder with anxiety. Service connection was granted for acquired psychiatric disorders secondary to degenerative disc disease and neurogenic erectile dysfunction secondary to degenerative disc disease. SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ was granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with bipolar disorder and cyclothymic disorder was denied as the evidence did not show an event, disease, or injury in service that caused his disability.

The Veteran's earlier effective date for a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted, effective June 18, 2021. The Board also remanded the issues of compensation under 38 USC § 1151 for a bladder condition and service connection for a bladder condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's right knee disability and lumbar spine disability are found to have onset in service, warranting service connection.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability and bilateral lower extremity neuropathic pain.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and sleep apnea, finding that new evidence submitted since the January 2020 denial supports these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied because there is no confirmed diagnosis of PTSD in the medical records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for GERD and depression have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeals.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric condition under DSM-V. The Veteran was diagnosed with adjustment disorder and major depressive disorder in the past but his symptoms have resolved.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Depressive Disorder is denied. The effective date remains November 6, 2013.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claim for PTSD, but denied service connection for PTSD due to lack of a confirmed in-service stressor and insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to service. The Veteran's other mental health conditions are already covered by his service-connected persistent depressive disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected persistent depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective May 24, 2013.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for a cervical spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) due to the April 2021 rating decision not adjudicating these claims, and subsequent grant by a June 2021 rating decision. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of a mental disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are not properly adjudicated due to procedural errors, and thus remands are necessary for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The effective date of the 70% rating for persistent depressive disorder was granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and will require a new VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive disorders, is secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities. The appeal for service connection on this basis is granted.