Depression Board decisions

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from December 3, 2014 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened and granted. His claim of depression with drug and alcohol abuse was granted, as well as his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse). The right ear hearing loss claim was dismissed due to the grant of service connection in another ear. The left ear hearing loss rating remained denied.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by his mental health disability and is not otherwise related to service. The Veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

Service connection for Crohn's disease/ulcerative colitis, and anxiety and depression (as secondary to ulcerative colitis), is granted.,Further claims for gallstones, bowel disorder, back disability, and degenerative arthritis of the joints are remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including chronic major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for the right foot condition is denied. The Board finds that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew all remaining issues on appeal, including the TDIU and increased rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder with panic disorder.

The Board has remanded both issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and seborrheic dermatitis of the face, scalp and ears with psychogenic excoriation of the skin due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service-connected bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and vitiligo, as well as their impact on his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's hearing loss and PTSD are not rated higher than the current levels, with a noncompensable rating for hearing loss and a 70% rating for PTSD prior to January 22, 2020.

The Veteran's somatic symptoms disorder with depression and anxiety, right ear hearing loss, bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and chondromalacia, bilateral ankle strain, and left foot condition (various diagnoses) have all been granted service connection.,An initial compensable rating for a post appendectomy scar has not been met.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD with anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder has been granted.,The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and TDIU prior to June 30, 2009 have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right arm numbness, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea due to potential discrepancies in diagnoses and need for further examination.

The Veteran's MDD with Bipolar Disorder is granted a 70 percent disability rating prior to August 21, 2015. A compensable rating for the left hernia is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses and their relation to service. An addendum opinion is needed to determine if his current diagnoses of major depression in remission and anxiety are related to events during service.

The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted as of March 14, 2011 due to his service-connected disabilities. The issue of service connection for sleep apnea has been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and Depressive Disorder due to missing VA treatment records from specific time periods. A medical opinion is needed to assess the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's major depressive disorder and sleep apnea disability. The VA examiner is requested to review all pertinent records, including service treatment records and post-service medical records.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for sleep apnea and entitlement to TDIU due to unresolved medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from March 1, 2014. The claim for earlier effective date of SMC based on housebound status is denied as the Veteran was not permanently confined to his home prior to January 23, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD. A VA mental health examination is needed.