Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for the purpose of establishing eligibility to treatment and denied claims for PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's disability rating for his psychiatric disorder was reduced from 70 percent to 30 percent. The Board has restored the original 70 percent rating due to a lack of evidence showing improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than persistent depressive disorder, to include PTSD, is remanded due to incomplete VA examination and insufficient private opinions. A new VA examination with a psychiatrist or psychologist is needed.

The Board has found clear and unmistakable error in the February 2012 rating decision that denied service connection for depression, leading to a grant of service connection with an effective date of June 1, 2011. The appeal regarding the earlier effective date is dismissed as moot due to the finding of CUE.

The Veteran has submitted new and relevant evidence that tends to prove or disprove a matter at issue regarding service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to migraine headaches. The claim is remanded for initial readjudication on the merits.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, emphysema, and major depressive disorder due to duty-to-assist errors and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for psychiatric disability is denied, and the claim of entitlement to a TDIU is remanded due to pre-decisional errors.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating to 100% for PTSD, with unspecified depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder is dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30% for migraine headaches is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder and other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, finding that these conditions are due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an examination and etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, which may be related to service. The Veteran claims depression and alcoholism, and her claim is expanded to include any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that this rating is appropriate based on his symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, and difficulty in establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on three issues have been dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to April 20, 2013, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was denied due to her having been employed in substantially gainful occupations prior to that date.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected chronic posttraumatic stress disorder with depressive disorder, finding that OSA is proximately due to or aggravated by PTSD.

Service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and Sprain Right Thumb has been restored as the original decisions were not clearly erroneous.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted, and the issue of treatment purposes under Chapter 17 for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's service connection for periodontal disease and depression is denied. The rating for PTSD, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder, and sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic disorder has been granted at a 70 percent disability rating since March 14, 2019.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to her service-connected disabilities, including anxiety and depressive disorder, lumbosacral strain, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a depressive disorder was granted with an effective date of April 2, 2021. The Board found that the effective date should be fixed at this date as it is the later of the date of application and the date entitlement arose.