Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an adequate nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. A new examination is required to address whether any diagnosed condition is at least as likely as not incurred in or otherwise related to his active service.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is granted an increased rating to 20 percent. The service connection claims for a left hand disability and a right hand disability are dismissed due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to major depressive disorder has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, finding that there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disability during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including tinnitus, depression, anxiety disorder, psychosis, insomnia, PTSD, left shin splints, right shin splints, and sleep apnea are granted. The claims for bilateral pes planus, endocervicitis, gastritis, GERD, irritable bowel syndrome, otitis media, and eye infection remain denied.

The Veteran's PDD with insomnia is granted effective March 21, 2017. The earlier effective date for service connection is also granted.,For the period prior to March 5, 2021, a disability rating of 30 percent is granted for PDD with insomnia.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with MDD was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 30, 2018, for the grant of a TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder, specifically unspecified depressive disorder with cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol use disorder, is rated at 70 percent for the entire period on appeal. The Board also granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension due to a failure to obtain adequate etiology opinions. The Veteran is to be afforded VA examinations to determine if his current diagnoses are related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, PTSD, and memory disorder, are related to his service-connected left eye disability.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, finding that the Veteran does not have a current disability and there is no link to service.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not provide a proper medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's appeal regarding severing service connection for persistent depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder due to a clear and unmistakable error in the 2019 rating decision is dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal regarding the service connection for PTSD, depression, and/or anxiety before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for mental, anxiety and depression (claimed as secondary to a service-connected disability) and coronary artery disease (claimed as heart attack). The issues are related to whether these conditions are related to active service or to his service-connected disabilities of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Board also found that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is not related to service, despite evidence showing he had chest pain during service. The examiner was instructed to consider this information in their review.

The Veteran's 100 percent disability rating for PTSD with depressive disorder has been restored to 70 percent effective September 1, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for GERD, a psychiatric disorder other than insomnia, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. A new examination is required in each case.

The Veteran's claims for depression and sleeplessness, both secondary to service-connected tinnitus, have been denied. The claim for anxiety is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or post-service incident.,The Veteran's vertigo claim related to his service-connected tinnitus has also been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, anxiety disorder unspecified, and unspecified depressive disorder as these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder was rated at 50 percent prior to February 6, 2020 and granted a 70 percent rating from that date forward.