Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder with anxiety) and remanded the issue of service connection for gastroparesis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including PTSD, anxiety disorders, sleep apnea, headaches, and dizziness.,VA must provide further development to address these issues, including obtaining private medical records and providing VA examinations.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with unspecified stressor and trauma related disorder is rated at 30 percent, but the examiner noted intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks due to symptoms such as chronic sleep impairment, panic attacks once or twice a week, irritability, anxiety, and depressed mood.,Service connection for musculoskeletal neck/upper back (cervical spine) with degenerative arthritis is remanded, potentially secondary to service-connected right shoulder disorder and ankle disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him incapable of securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to September 2, 2018. His full-time employment as a construction worker was above the poverty threshold and not in a protected environment.

The Veteran's claim for a rating of 100 percent for OCD, with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, and panic disorder is granted. The issue of a rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected lumbar spondylolisthesis (back disability) prior to October 23, 2020, and 100 percent thereafter remains pending.

The Board dismissed the appeals for an increased rating for a right knee disability and for revising a prior decision regarding service connection for depressive disorder based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Veteran's MDD was granted a rating of 70 percent from June 21, 2017 to December 6, 2023. A higher rating is denied for the period after December 7, 2023.

The Veteran's GAD with MDD resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, warranting a 50% rating from July 15, 2007 to December 18, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors did not actually occur. The Board granted service connection for depression/MDD based on credible evidence of record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as there was no evidence linking his current psychiatric conditions to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the period prior to March 22, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU. The appeals for increased evaluations and earlier effective date were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and denied service connection for bilateral hip, shoulder, ankle, and foot conditions. The Veteran's PTSD is linked to his in-service exposure to traumatic stressors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety and depression, have been reopened. The claim for service connection for a back disability, restless leg syndrome (left leg), and restless leg syndrome (right leg) is remanded. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to assess the severity of her knee disabilities, determine the nature and etiology of her psychiatric disorder, and address any aggravation by her service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for migraines, specifically as secondary to both major depressive disorder and tinnitus. The Veteran's claim is being returned for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed major depressive disorder and secondary alcohol use disorder are causally related to his active duty service, granting service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 40 percent prior to September 29, 2015, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The rating for the right knee remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD due to a discrepancy in the dates of the reported stressor. The Board also ordered additional VA treatment records from Las Vegas VA medical center be obtained.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied service connection for a gunshot wound and head injury. The case is remanded for further development regarding the head injury.