Depression decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate, with anxious distress, anxiety, insomnia, bipolar disorder, and adjustment disorder with depression. The claim is based on the Veteran's in-service symptoms and post-service treatment records.

The Veteran's other specified depressive disorder is not entitled to an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent prior to December 6, 2016, and in excess of 70 percent from that date.

The Veteran's MDD, a service-connected condition, is rated at 70 percent for the entire appeal period. The disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to deficiencies in work capacity, family relations, and mood.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to service.

New and relevant evidence has been submitted to readjudicate the claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, PTSD, and depression is denied.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 2, 2021, for service connection of PTSD and depression was granted. The earliest the effective date can be is June 30, 2011, when the Veteran initially filed her application.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating. The Veteran also sought TDIU based on his PTSD, but the Board found that he was not totally unemployable.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed because he is already receiving a total schedular rating for his service-connected disabilities, and no single disability alone establishes unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and a higher disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support awarding either an earlier effective date or a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from December 2019 to March 5, 2020. As of March 5, 2020, the Veteran received a combined total rating of 100%, making the TDIU issue moot.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as his employment within the year prior to filing the claim was not considered substantially gainful.,An earlier effective date of February 8, 2021 was granted for service connection for PTSD and recurrent MDD with anxious distress.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence in some cases.,The Veteran's depression is rated at 50 percent, but not higher.

The Veteran's ambulance transportation on September 23, 2020 was deemed necessary due to her intoxicated state and general pain. The Board found that the treatment met all criteria for reimbursement under VA guidelines.

The Veteran's claims for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities have been granted. The appeal is dismissed as these issues are no longer in dispute.,Right ear hearing loss was denied due to lack of audiometric findings meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress is dismissed as the claim was filed after a final decision became effective.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea syndrome as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease and depressive disorder. The decision also acknowledges that obesity may be an intermediate step between these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent disability rating.