Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of his contentions.

The Board has remanded the claim for further evidentiary development due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities are being reviewed again, including PTSD and major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities, COPD, and MDD have been granted service connection. The hearing loss claim remains denied.,Service connection for the Veteran's right and left foot disabilities is established based on in-service injury and continuity of symptomatology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, due to military sexual trauma (MST), finding that there was no credible evidence linking his current mental health conditions to his time in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including anxiety, depression, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, upper and lower back spasms, right knee disability, left knee disability, and left foot disability. The reasons include a lack of service treatment records from the relevant periods.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in not considering a January 2013 treatment record that mentioned depressive symptoms. The Veteran's depression is being reviewed again for possible service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, bilateral eye disorder, and depression have been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.,Specifically, the Board determined that diabetes mellitus type II is not related to service due to lack of continuity of symptomatology within one year after discharge from service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease. As a result, the claim for secondary service connection for major depressive disorder is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depression. The Veteran's claims are related to his service-connected right hydrocelectomy.

The Veteran's disability of residuals of TBI, PTSD with persistent depressive disorder, and mild neurocognitive disorder due to TBI has been granted an increased rating of 70 percent.

The appeal for service connection on all claimed conditions has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of all remaining issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and review of records. The issues include hepatitis, depression, anxiety, and a lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for other specified trauma and stress-related disorder and depression are both granted. Service connection is established for the former, but not for the latter.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, needs further development and is therefore remanded.

The Board has ordered a remand to clarify the nature and cause of any diagnosed psychiatric disability during the pendency of the claim, specifically addressing the Veteran's lay and buddy statements.

The Veteran's treatment at St. Luke Medical Center on August 10, 2017 was for a condition that required immediate medical attention due to an infected abscess in the left groin. The VA facilities were not feasible and the Veteran could not reach them promptly. Therefore, payment or reimbursement is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of this decision.,The Veteran's GERD is rated at 30 percent since January 21, 2020.

The Board has denied service connection for headaches and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.