Depression Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding no evidence of a link between his current psychiatric conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to claims of additional disabilities resulting from a 1986 esophagogastrectomy. The Veteran's OSA, COPD, asthma, depression, anxiety, and claudication are all found to be related to this surgery.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was rated at 70 percent prior to May 27, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of total social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's schizophrenia prior to March 12, 2020, was found to be sufficiently incapacitating as to functionally impair his ability to secure or follow any occupation beyond marginal employment.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a distinct disability separate from his already-service-connected conditions, such as GAD and MDD, which encompassed the symptoms claimed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a mental health examination. The issues of increasing his disability ratings are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in the November 2021 hearing. The remaining issues of service connection have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to establish and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder has been rated at 50 percent since December 2017, and the evidence did not show symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened, but the Board found no new and material evidence to support her claims for low back disability and residuals of removal of pilonidal cyst. The claim for PTSD was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional information. The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his psychiatric disorder and TDIU are being returned for further action.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including Stargardt's disease and anxiety disorder with depressive disorder. The SMC rate is set at 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor for PTSD, and a new opinion is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and PTSD. The Veteran's testimony suggests that his conditions are related to a stressful incident during service when his wife left him.

The Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for asthma has been reopened.,PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at 70% since June 4, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and conflicting medical opinions. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, and schizophrenia, is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations of his service-connected psychiatric disabilities with a TBI and entitlement to TDIU is being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records from a Vet Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The AOJ must also verify the Veteran's occupational history and employment circumstances.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left shoulder disability and acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically addressing whether these conditions are related to service or aggravated by a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran is granted TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate due to service-connected disabilities, effective July 19, 2018.