Depression Board decisions

The Board dismissed all the claims as they are related to a deceased Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's depression and obesity, which is necessary for service connection of sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 7, 2012 for a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and cocaine-use disorder. This decision is based on evidence showing increased severity in symptoms since that date.

The Veteran's depression is currently rated at 50 percent as of February 23, 2015. The Board denied an increased rating for the condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 27, 2013 for tinnitus is denied as there was no communication prior to that date indicating intent to apply for service connection.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 27, 2006 for psychiatric disorder (post-traumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder) is dismissed as a matter of law due to the finality of the April 2007 rating decision awarding service connection and assigning a noncompensable rating.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 21, 2014 for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for multiple actinic keratoses and melanoma is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records from prior to the Veteran's second period of service in 2006. The focus is on determining if the Veteran's preexisting psychiatric condition was aggravated by his service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service. A new VA examination is needed to clarify this issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder, right hip condition, or left hip condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's mental health conditions and their relation to service, as well as the 1151 claim. The VA will need to provide new medical opinions considering all available evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for HIV, legal blindness secondary to HIV, and an acquired mental disorder (including PTSD and depression) secondary to HIV due to additional development being required. The Veteran submitted medical literature suggesting he may have been HIV positive prior to separation from active service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, trauma-related anxiety, and depression. The diagnoses are related to a verified in-service stressor.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology and severity.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder prevents him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU. The initial compensable rating for scars on the left shoulder and anterior trunk is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, is being remanded. The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance prior to September 25, 2020, is also being remanded due to the inextricability with his mental health condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and polysubstance abuse disorder, is granted. The petition to reopen a claim for service-connected for an eye disability is also granted. Other issues are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete documentation and needs further evaluation by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) and VA medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and panic disorder, have been granted. The decision is based on new evidence that supports the claim of in-service military sexual trauma (MST) as a cause of PTSD.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the June 2021 remand directives and has ordered another remand to obtain a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected CAD and depression disorder cause or aggravate his hypertension.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has granted a higher rating for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities after January 13, 2021.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including low back and neck conditions, major depressive disorder, traumatic brain injury, and right foot hallux valgus with degenerative arthritis, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since September 2016.