Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for further medical examination. The Veteran's right-shoulder pain may have started during active duty, while his acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety) may be related to in-service traumatic events.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the addition of his spouse to his VA disability compensation is denied. The earliest possible effective date has already been assigned based on the one-year period following the October 29, 2019 rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and PTSD, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active-duty service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in February 2020 was inadequate for addressing the Veteran's claims of service connection for depression and anxiety. Therefore, a new VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's cervical spine and psychiatric disabilities are granted as service-connected. The claim for IBS is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for a retrospective medical opinion on the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities, as VA did not obtain such an opinion in the original decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional records and provide appropriate VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of major depressive disorder, finding that no formal or informal claim was submitted prior to April 29, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and a panic disorder. The Veteran's panic disorder is proximately due to his service-connected elbow and knee disabilities.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 12, 2010 for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim was reopened due to new and material VA treatment records received within a year of the March 2010 rating decision.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to June 2, 2010 for the award of a 70 percent rating for generalized anxiety disorder and denied his claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU.

The appeals for a higher disability rating for psychiatric disabilities and service connection for sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) rated at 70 percent disabling. The Board has granted a TDIU effective August 31, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with recurrent mild anxiety prevents him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the claim for TDIU is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of diabetes mellitus, type II and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance due to inadequate examination. The Veteran's DMII is rated at 20 percent, but a higher evaluation may be warranted given his additional service-connected conditions.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funds due to his mental incapacity resulting from a stroke, and the appeal is denied.

The Board has identified errors in the duty to assist and has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and corroborating in-service stressors. The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depression Disorder are being evaluated again as part of this process.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back, neck, left wrist, right wrist, right knee, and right shoulder disorders. The appeal is allowed to that extent only.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and a need for further medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress and PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder originated during active service and granted service connection for this condition.