Depression decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Agnes Hospital from February 24, 2018, through February 27, 2018, is granted due to the emergency nature of his alcohol-induced symptoms and the lack of feasibly available VA facilities.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The Veteran asserts that these conditions are related to service, but there is no evidence of any diagnosed psychiatric disabilities during service.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, previously rated as PTSD, is granted a rating of 70 percent effective August 28, 2017. Effective that date, the Veteran is also granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, depression (secondary to physical conditions/persistent migraine headaches), recurrent sinusitis and rhinitis with mucus retention cyst, and status post hemorrhoidectomy has been granted. The rating for the status post hemorrhoidectomy remains at noncompensable.

The Board has remanded three issues: a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 12, 2017 and in excess of 10 percent therefrom; a rating in excess of 50 percent for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD); and the SMC at the housebound rate. The remand requests obtaining missing VA audiogram results and scheduling a new VA examination for MDD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection for PTSD has been granted, but the claims for OSA and hypertension are remanded as additional medical opinions are needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, specifically to obtain her VA treatment records from June 2021 to the present and VR&E records. The rating assigned and effective date are not provided.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and unverified stressor events. The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is being reviewed for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on multiple service-connected conditions is being remanded due to procedural issues.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and material evidence, but the issue of service connection for other psychiatric conditions remains pending.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including mood and depressive disorders as well as alcohol/substance abuse disorder, are found to be related to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability with associated LLE radiculopathy.

The Veteran's service connection for hemorrhoids, mild TMJ disorder with bruxism, left carpal tunnel syndrome with cubital tunnel syndrome, bilateral plantar fasciitis, persistent depressive disorder, GERD with IBS, shin splint, right lower extremity, and shin splint, left lower extremity have been granted. The Veteran's service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome with cubital tunnel syndrome has been granted at a 30 percent rating effective from November 21, 2019.

The Board has remanded the TDIU issue for development and adjudication, as it is part of the underlying service connection claim. The case will be referred to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's unemployability primarily due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder from April 17, 2018, through August 23, 2019.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of PTSD was granted. Service connection is also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and specific trauma-and stressor- related disorder, as well as sleep apnea secondary to the service-connected psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination report, and a new examination is required.

The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records, an updated VA examination, and further review of the evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to obtain medical evidence and determine whether service connection is warranted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The TDIU issue remains pending.

The Board has granted the appellant's motion to vacate a previous decision, finding that service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety disorder and depressive disorder) is warranted as secondary to a service-connected disability. The weight of evidence supports that these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal requires further development due to outstanding VA and Federal TRICARE treatment records, inconsistencies in examination reports, and incomplete employment information. The issues of PTSD evaluation, TBI evaluation, headache syndrome evaluation, and TDIU are all remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for Epstein Barr/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and unspecified cognitive disorder. The conditions are deemed to be directly related to the Veteran's active duty for training period.