Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in notifying the Veteran of evidence from sources other than service records and for failing to schedule an examination for PTSD. The claim will be reconsidered with these issues addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of various disabilities, including hearing loss, psychiatric conditions, sleep apnea, GERD, ulcers, prostate issues, hyperlipidemia, neck, back, ankle, elbow, eye glaucoma, foot, hip, shoulder, wrist, and knee disabilities are being remanded due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus and an acquired mental disorder (claimed as depression) due to a procedural error in providing notice of the right to a hearing.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent since March 13, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for clarification regarding his employment status, as well as a differentiation between MDD symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms.

The Veteran's initial rating for depressive disorder and unspecified insomnia disorder is denied, while a higher rating of 20 percent is granted for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The right lower extremity radiculopathy remains at its current 20 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder due to a lack of evidence supporting the claimed stressors.

The Veteran withdrew his service connection claims for cardiovascular symptoms, chronic fatigue, depression, gastrointestinal symptoms, and sleep disturbance before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder of PTSD with PDD is directly related to his active-duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher, due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The evidence does not support a finding of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection on all six issues due to the NOD not being timely filed.

The Board has remanded the case for further action on the issues of entitlement to an initial rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD and major depressive disorder, as well as entitlement to a TDIU effective date earlier than October 29, 2018.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, which is the highest available.,The Veteran's major depressive disorder does not meet or approximate the criteria for a 100 percent disability rating. The closest match to his symptoms is a 70 percent disability rating.

The Veteran is granted earlier effective dates of March 28, 2019 for a 70% rating for PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder and a 20% rating for Lumbosacral Strain.,These ratings are based on the Veteran's service-connected conditions being manifested since her discharge from active service.

The Board dismissed the appeals as all claims were related to a deceased Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and her claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder was initially rated at 30%, but the RO later adjusted it to 50% effective June 23, 2016. The rating was then raised to 70% effective March 28, 2019.

Your service connection claim for PTSD with depression has been fully granted. The appeal is dismissed as there are no remaining issues to review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with major depression and alcohol use disorder was initially denied in November 2007. After receiving additional relevant service treatment and personnel records, the effective date of this grant has been changed to April 27, 2007.

The Board has granted service connection for multilevel disc degeneration and disc protrusions of the cervical spine, bilateral shoulder DJD, tinea cruris, tinea pedis, and persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress. The decision is based on credible lay evidence that these conditions began during or are related to active duty service.