Depression Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a depressive disorder, NOS, as secondary to his low back disorder. The evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran’s psychiatric condition and active service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private psychiatric treatment records and scheduling an additional VA examination to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's right wrist disability. The issues include determining if the Veteran is entitled to a higher rating for her dysthymia with major depression, neurocognitive disorder due to cerebellar ataxia, and right wrist disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, particularly depression, anxiety, and alcoholism, to his service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings and effective dates for service-connected conditions have been denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities has also been denied.

The reduction from a 100 percent rating to a 60 percent rating for prostate cancer effective April 1, 2015 was proper. The Veteran's other claims for increased ratings were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and treatment records. The issues include right knee, left knee, rash of the entire body, ingrown toenails, indigestion, bilateral pes planus, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression), pseudofolliculitis barbae, and right shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, to include anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder is granted. The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate opinions and missing informed consent records. The issues include compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depressive disorder (PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder), a rating in excess of 30 percent for dyschezia with abnormal anal sphincter relaxation, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral pes planus and depressive disorder due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examinations. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is being reviewed again, while his depressive disorder claim requires a new examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for allergic rhinitis and depressive disorder with anxious distress were denied. The rating for allergic rhinitis was granted, but the claim remains on appeal as it is reopened based on new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right shoulder disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional examination and analysis regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, preexisted service or was aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU due to service-connected disability. The Veteran's symptoms have been evaluated as causing occupational and social impairment but not total impairment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, excluding PTSD, as there is no current diagnosis of bipolar disorder or chronic depression. The preponderance of evidence does not support these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of depressive disorder and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating or entitlement to TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran was granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) beginning October 1, 2005. The appeal period began in June 2005 and the Veteran meets the schedular criteria for an award of TDIU during this entire period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remands and the need for another VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of whether his nonservice-connected depression might be secondary or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating, effective September 17, 2018.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with the most recent VA examination showing Level II in both ears.,The effective date for service connection of PTSD with depressive disorder and anxiety is currently set at December 27, 2006. The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date.