Depression decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD with major depressive disorder was dismissed due to the untimeliness of her Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities and tinnitus due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's conditions and his military service. The AOJ will consider any new evidence submitted during the period after the April 2020 decision.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, bipolar II disorder, and major depressive disorder. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported in-service personal assaults and continuous symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the claim due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically failing to afford the Veteran an examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed psychiatric disorders. The Veteran is presumed to have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) during service but needs further evidence corroborating this stressor.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include other specified anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder, other substance induced depressive disorder, and other specified personality disorder with narcissistic traits, as additional development is required to determine whether the in-service event caused the Veteran's other specified anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's service connection for migraine headaches and major depressive disorder was granted effective March 12, 2021. Service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is also granted.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for depression, right flatfoot, and sleep disturbance, fatigue, and anxiety.

The Veteran's initial rating for major depressive disorder is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's mental health issues were not related to his military service due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent from August 27, 2020, to August 5, 2021. The Board has remanded the issues of increased evaluations for unspecified depressive disorder beginning August 6, 2021, intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and TDIU.

The Board granted disability ratings of 70 percent, 30 percent, and 20 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) respectively, effective November 25, 2020. The ratings for other conditions were denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to verify stressors. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety is being reconsidered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record. The disability picture most nearly approximates the current assigned rating.

Your appeal for a higher rating for PTSD and major depressive disorder has been dismissed because you requested to withdraw the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits, as there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ will consider additional evidence and re-evaluate the Veteran's employment handicap.

The Board denied service connection for a mood disorder because there is no current diagnosis of the condition, and any in-service depressive episode has resolved.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder was denied as the evidence did not show continuous pursuit of his claims.

The appeal to reduce the Veteran's PTSD with depression from a 100% rating to a 70% rating effective September 1, 2021 is dismissed due to procedural defects.

The Veteran's claim for PCAFC benefits was remanded due to inadequate notice and reasoning in the original decision. The Board found that the VA Caregiver evaluation assessment did not clearly address the Veteran's current conditions, particularly his neurocognitive disorders, pain, loss of use, weakness, dizziness, and vertigo, which affect his need for personal care services.