Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to questions regarding whether his psychiatric disorders pre-existed service and if they are related to military service. The VA will need to provide an examination and medical opinions on these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and a left shoulder disability due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims will be reconsidered with new medical opinions.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from March 1, 2019 to May 13, 2019 and from December 1, 2019 to March 26, 2020 due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for a dental condition and an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression) due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The VA will provide further examinations and opinions to determine if service connection is warranted.

The Veteran's depressive disorder due to chronic pain with depressive features has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of the June 2022 agency decision.

The Veteran requested to withdraw their appeal for restoring a 50 percent rating from 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder effective February 7, 2019. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and unspecified trauma and other stressor disorder, meets the schedular requirement for TDIU effective May 16, 2022.

The Veteran's MDD caused occupational and social impairment, but did not meet the criteria for a higher rating of 70 percent or more.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, anxiety, and sleep disturbances is rated at 70 percent prior to July 20, 2022. The rating was denied as the Veteran did not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the failure to provide a VA examination. A new examination must be scheduled and an opinion provided regarding her psychiatric diagnoses.

The Board is remanding the case due to outstanding records and for further analysis of the appellant's mental health history, including his service stressors and post-service treatment. The appeal involves both a determination of character of discharge and potential service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to May 14, 2014 is being remanded due to the inextricably intertwined issues of increased ratings and earlier effective dates for service connection for depressive disorder with anxious distress, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, and osteoarthritis of the right shoulder. The matter will be reconsidered after these claims are resolved.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a vascular disorder, including as due to toxic exposures during military service, need further development. The case is being remanded for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 6, 2006 for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder. The Veteran claimed this condition as secondary to multiple injuries sustained during service.

The Veteran's right foot disability is denied as there is no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by service.,For the initial appeal period prior to July 21, 2023, the Veteran's depressive disorder is denied due to insufficient impairment. After July 21, 2023, her depressive disorder remains denied but with a remanded issue for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, specifically his depression and generalized anxiety disorder. The case will be reviewed again with a new examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient attempts at corroborating the Veteran's reported in-service stressor and failure to schedule a VA examination. The Veteran is advised that he must keep VA apprised of his whereabouts for future examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to schedule a personal hearing as instructed in previous Board decisions.

The Veteran's major depression and migraines have been granted a rating of 50 percent, effective November 3, 2011. The Veteran's POTS has also been granted a 100 percent rating since November 3, 2011.