Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether symptoms of non-PTSD acquired psychiatric disorders can be distinguished from PTSD. The Veteran is seeking service connection for schizophrenia, manic depression, and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of herbicide exposure and obtaining medical opinions regarding his diagnoses.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder are rated at a 50 percent rating prior to January 11, 2013. From January 11, 2013, the rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for hypertension was dismissed.,The Veteran's PTSD was denied a rating in excess of 50 percent from February 1, 2011 to January 26, 2016. A total rating for PTSD was granted starting from January 26, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's claimed stressors were not verified and there was no medical evidence supporting a diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to January 1, 2016 due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions precluded him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent effective March 21, 2013.,The Veteran is granted TDIU effective July 13, 2009.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and personality disorder are being remanded for further examination to determine if they were preexisting or aggravated by service.

The Board has not fully addressed the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically unspecified depressive disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's condition is related to his in-service stressor.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and information.

The Board has vacated its previous decision denying the appellant's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including depression and as secondary to a service-connected disability. The reasons include errors in due process by VA and the Board.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, right hip disorder, respiratory disorder (claimed due to asbestos exposure), and acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder) for further development.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened and granted effective April 9, 1985. The previous effective date of October 7, 2005 is changed to this new effective date.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease as due to exposure to herbicide agents is granted. The issues of service connection for nasopharyngeal cancer, obstructive sleep apnea, eye disability, balance/vestibular disorder, sinusitis and depressive disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's depressive disorder was rated at 30 percent from June 22, 2015 to September 1, 2016. The appeal is denied as the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates as they were not filed on the correct form and did not meet legal requirements.

Your claim for service connection for major depressive disorder has been granted, but the appeal is dismissed as moot because your benefits have already been awarded.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection of PTSD, sleep apnea, and MDD as secondary to cervical strain due to lack of jurisdiction over these issues.

The Veteran's effective date for service connection of depressive disorder was changed from September 20, 2017 to March 3, 2018.,An effective date of April 25, 2018 was granted for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has determined that new evidence was submitted to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for bilateral varicose veins, right knee disability, left-hand broken ring finger disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and insomnia). The claims are being remanded due to a lack of a VA examination or medical opinion.