Depression decisions — 2024

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, specifically major depressive disorder with anxiety, was granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent effective prior to May 16, 2011 and after June 14, 2016. The appeal is not about service connection but rather the evaluation of a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TBI are both denied.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for separate disability ratings for major depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as a request for an earlier effective date for the increased rating of 50 percent for major depressive disorder with TBI. The Board has found multiple pre-decisional duty to assist errors, necessitating remand for further development including medical opinions on whether symptoms can be separated and attributed to different diagnoses without resorting to speculation.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD is remanded due to inadequate examination.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lower back disability is remanded due to the inconsistency between the September 2022 and June 2014 VA examinations regarding IVDS status.,The Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are both remanded as no peripheral nerves examination has been conducted yet.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to March 14, 2017 on an extraschedular basis is remanded due to the lack of evidence showing her inability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment before that date.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder with anxious distress is denied.,The appeal seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed as a matter of law.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic code.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and major depression with anxiety were remanded due to insufficient development of the record.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to comply with the duty to assist, and is requesting new VA examination opinions on direct service connection for OSA and secondary service connection for OSA as caused by major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD and MDD. The examiner is required to provide an addendum addressing the onset of these conditions during service or their relationship to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including unspecified anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, bilateral knee retropatellar pain syndrome and residuals of left foot fracture with secondary MTPJ, are found to have caused his obesity, which in turn led to his obstructive sleep apnea. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder with alcohol abuse, duodenal ulcer with peptic ulcer disease, right achilles tendon surgery residuals (including shortening of the leg), and erectile dysfunction, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and the retrieval of clinical records.

The Veteran's combination of service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder with PTSD, obstructive sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, and multiple orthopedic conditions, prevents him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. Effective January 23, 2019, he is granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with duty to assist, substantial compliance, and need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's diabetes is secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder or gastrointestinal condition.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating effective October 16, 2016 due to her service-connected disabilities. The evidence shows she was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment beginning on this date.

The Veteran's UDD is rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The cervical spine and upper extremity radiculopathy are each rated at their maximum allowable disability ratings.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating of 70% or higher for PTSD with AUD, MDD, and SUD.

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

The Veteran's PTSD claim was dismissed as the April 2020 rating decision did not constitute a final appealable decision.,Service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder with recurrent, moderate MDD (previously insomnia disorder) was granted with an effective date of March 28, 2024.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and alcohol dependence, assigning a 70 percent rating effective June 22, 2020. The appeal is granted in part.