Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions, including neck disability, back disability, and radiculopathies. The claims were initially denied in February 2013 due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, finding that the Veteran's intent to file a claim was received on July 23, 2021, which is when the current effective date was assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in duty to assist, including failure to verify the Veteran's reported stressors and obtain a VA examination. The case will be further developed to address these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of herpes and depressive disorder, as there was no pending claim prior to July 24, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disabilities, including depression and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied, while her TDIU and SMC on the basis of statutory housebound status were granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia, anxiety, depression, hypertension, headaches, and bilateral shoulder pain have been denied. The Board found that the submitted evidence did not provide new and relevant information to support these claims.

The Veteran's request to readjudicate the claims for PTSD and mental health conditions has been granted. The Board is now remanding these claims due to insufficient evidence.,The right foot disability claim remains in a 'remanded' status.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to errors in obtaining relevant VA treatment records and the inadequacy of the March 2021 VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, and his claim for a higher rating for MDD with anxious distress from September 21, 2018, to prior to May 22, 2020, was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD and concluded that the Veteran's symptoms were more consistent with a 50 percent rating for MDD.

The Veteran's ED is caused by his service-connected MDD, and the Board has granted service connection for ED as secondary to MDD.

The Veteran's claim for right knee total replacement, migraine headaches, internal derangement of the right ankle, major depressive disorder, degenerative arthritis with IVDS and strain in the lumbar spine, sciatic radiculopathy in both lower extremities, left knee meniscectomy residuals, and left knee instability was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection is set at June 14, 2014.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depressive disorders, is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for major depression and TDIU due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's depressive disorder began during or was otherwise caused by her military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran's representative, including a lay statement and a private medical opinion. The effective date of service connection for major depressive disorder is not being granted earlier than January 22, 2013.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder was rated at 50 percent prior to January 15, 2021, and 70 percent as of that date. The Board found no evidence warranting a higher rating in either period.

The Veteran's dizziness, syncope, and syncopal episodes disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The claim for an increased rating for depressive disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including MDD, anxiety, unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and cannabis use disorder, are found to have started during his active service and continue since. Service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are causally related to events during his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates as they were untimely filed more than one year after the July 2021 rating decision.