Depression decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and/or tinnitus are found to be at least as likely the cause of his migraine headaches, warranting a grant of service connection for these headaches.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include unspecified depressive disorder, is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and skin rashes are denied. The claim for chronic left knee injury-joint pain is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and major depressive disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's contentions about onset during service are considered, but a VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including anxiety, PTSD, depression, allergies, a right leg disability, bilateral shoulder disabilities, carpal tunnel syndrome, hair loss, sleep apnea, and low back and neck disabilities are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is also denied.

The Veteran's rating for PTSD and MDD was improperly reduced from 100% to 70%, and the 100% rating is restored.

The Board has granted a 100% disability rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder) effective July 29, 2019. The decision is mixed as some conditions were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 14, 2018 was denied as the evidence did not show that she continuously pursued her original claim for PTSD and the legal authority governing effective dates is clear and specific.

The Veteran's service-connected depression is found to be proximately due to his herpes genitalis, and therefore granted for secondary service connection. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea remains pending as a remand is required.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disabilities, allergic rhinitis, kidney disability, ED, GERD, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, shoulder disabilities, liver disability, and lung disability. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected physical disabilities, including cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease, right elbow bone spur, left ankle chip fracture, left foot hallux valgus, and right foot bunionectomy.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and relevant evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claim for erectile dysfunction/impotence is denied as the new evidence does not relate to this specific issue, while the psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder with major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent for the period beginning October 27, 2021. The rating was denied as his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is now considered directly related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for depression and anxiety disorder, sciatica, left hip condition, and right hip condition due to incomplete records and insufficient evidence of record. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to obtain relevant service treatment records and VA examinations are required to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of these conditions.

The appeal for TDIU from August 1, 2019 is dismissed. The appeal for SMC at the housebound rate from August 2, 2019 to October 7, 2021 is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of Persistent Depressive Disorder with Alcohol Use Disorder and Cannabis Use Disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a higher rating than 50 percent. Service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea was granted.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied, and his TDIU due to service-connected disability was granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is granted as service connected. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; diabetic chronic kidney disease; diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities; and hypertension are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric condition, fatigue, headaches, heart stent, and rashes on the feet, face, and arms are being remanded due to procedural errors in scheduling VA examinations.