Depression Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to deficiencies in the prior opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders. The VA examiner needs to provide more rationale and citation to supporting evidence for each diagnosed condition, address the continuity of symptoms over time, and consider other relevant evidence in the record.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of traumatic brain injuries, post-concussion syndrome, PTSD, depression, and anxiety are granted. The Veteran is also remanded for further examinations to determine the nature and extent of his eye disability, vestibular neuronitis, migraine headaches, cervical spine disabilities, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, but the other issues related to hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and knee disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression has been dismissed. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been granted. The remaining issues are being remanded due to lack of a current diagnosis or treatment.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder has been granted an increased rating to 70 percent effective August 15, 2016.,Effective August 15, 2016, the Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's diagnosed other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder are shown to be etiologically related to service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination. The claims include issues related to dental disability, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, major depressive disorder, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU prior to November 1, 2010.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is related to his service-connected keloid scars. The Veteran needs a new examination to determine if he meets the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disability and if it is at least as likely as not that his condition had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeals regarding the issues of a higher initial disability rating for Depressive Disorder, a compensable initial disability rating for residuals of NHL, and a TDIU prior to August 30, 2021. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder was granted. The remanded issue of determining the relationship between any acquired psychiatric disability and service is left with the VA examiner.

The Veteran's PTSD with associated polysubstance use and major depressive disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment throughout the appellate period, warranting a 70 percent rating.

The claim for service connection of PTSD is reopened, but the case is remanded to obtain verification of in-service stressors and provide a retrospective VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and brain embolisms are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's death is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further development regarding his service-connected disability claim, including a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, mood disorder, and/or depressive disorder, as well as a colon disorder. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an anxiety disorder has been reopened, and the Board has granted this claim. The issues of service connection for right knee, left knee, and TBI have also been dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, claimed as anxiety and depression, and for insomnia has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right foot disability has been remanded due to the submission of new evidence since the March 2010 rating decision.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, was rated at 70 percent prior to September 4, 2015. The Board found that the symptoms met the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including neurocognitive disorder and depressive disorder NOS, are proximately due to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for migraines and persistent depressive disorder has been denied. The Veteran is currently receiving the maximum schedular rating for migraines (50%) and a 70% rating for persistent depressive disorder, which meets the criteria for TDIU.