Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be related to her active duty service in the U.S. Army, and she is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's claimed combat experience in Vietnam and the need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's PTSD and dysthymia resulted in social impairment with deficiencies in areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. However, they did not result in total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his active service.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Major Depressive Disorder to greater than 70 percent is denied due to lack of medical evidence supporting such a high level of disability.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as he meets the schedular requirements and his service-connected conditions render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, diabetic heart disease, unspecified depressive disorder, abdomen scar, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity have been granted service connection. The effective dates for these awards are December 13, 2017.

The Board has found errors in obtaining relevant medical records and Social Security Administration records, which are necessary to determine the appropriate effective dates for the Veteran's increased disability rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and TDIU. The case is being remanded to obtain these records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression. The Board found that his current diagnosis is not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder due to a lack of proper appeal initiation. The claim for ataxic gait (claimed as ageotropic static positional nystagmus) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a failure to provide a VA examination, and because the issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified depressive disorder was denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent from March 16, 2006.,Entitlement to SMC(k) based on loss of use of a creative organ is remanded.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder is productive of deficiencies in the areas of work, family relations, and mood. The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right elbow disorder and PTSD with MDD was denied. The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder (claimed as flat feet) and degenerative disc disease were remanded for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and depression, as there is no competent evidence to support these diagnoses during the appeal period. The Veteran's depression was found to be related to pre-service factors such as childhood abuse.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for depression and TDIU due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms attributed to multiple factors, including back pain and relationship problems.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD based on MST and depression have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for insomnia has also been granted.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned to VA for these purposes.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder with depressive disorder, is granted. The claim of increased disability rating for service-connected left palm laceration prior to July 10, 2020, and greater than 10 percent thereafter, is granted.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depressive disorder, effective throughout the period on appeal. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability causes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD and MDD. The case will be returned for further development.