Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for neurological disorder, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, heart condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's service connection claims are being remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition (including anxiety and depression) and residuals of a left foot fracture.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, a cardiovascular condition (heart trouble), sleep apnea, and vertigo are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,Specifically, the Board is seeking clarification on whether there is a relationship between the Veteran's current cardiovascular conditions and her service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it is related to his in-service noise exposure. However, there is no evidence of a current acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and alcohol abuse disorder) during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, leading to a grant of TDIU as of May 20, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed due to the absence of an initial AOJ determination. The appeals for increased ratings for his knees and for erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and relationship of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities prior to October 4, 2019. The effective date for service connection remains October 4, 2019.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as service-connected. The claims for hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely depression), and left knee sprain are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was granted with an effective date of April 23, 2018. The Board found that the Veteran had good cause to file his initial claim late due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected psychiatric disorder was dismissed as the grant of TDIU resolved this issue. The Board granted TDIU, which is equivalent to a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's scar, post right inguinal hernia surgical repair is granted a 20 percent rating.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for a skin condition (chloracne and/or dermatitis) as secondary to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for acute renal failure (kidney condition) as due to an enlarged prostate and/or herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as due to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for total right knee replacement, to include as due to rheumatoid arthritis and/or herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for depression with sleep disturbance, to include as secondary to rheumatoid arthritis is remanded.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, depressive disorder, is granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.,An effective date of August 28, 2010 for a 30 percent rating for right knee disability (including instability, surgical scarring, and limitation of flexion) is granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of major depressive disorder as it was granted in a previous decision. The skin condition issue is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with previous directives and needs further examination for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and insomnia.

The Board denied the Veteran's TDIU claim as there was no evidence showing he could not secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and he had been employed full-time for 20 years.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities and is also granted SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 20, 2019, for a 100 percent rating of service-connected major depressive disorder is denied. The Board found that the earliest factually ascertainable date that the symptomatology associated with the service-connected major depressive disorder worsened and supported the assignment of a 100 percent rating was September 20, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 8, 2021, for a rating of 70 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder was denied. The Board found that the increase in disability did not precede the claim by more than a year and thus could not be granted an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, was denied. The Board found that the effective date of October 11, 2021 is correct as it is the date of receipt of the application to reopen the previously disallowed claim.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate with anxious distress resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas during the review period. The Board granted an increased rating of 70 percent for this condition.