Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and any acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, and anxiety disorder, due to incomplete/inaccurate factual premises regarding the Veteran's claimed active duty service in Vietnam. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, heart disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and neuropathies were denied as the evidence did not support a link to his active service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and MDD was dismissed as the Veteran, through his authorized representative, requested withdrawal of the appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and an adjustment disorder) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's hearing loss was not shown to be related to service or aggravated by service, and her psychiatric disorders were found to have other origins.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including for fibromyalgia, MDD, diabetes mellitus and its related peripheral neuropathies, GERD, OSA, and a foot disorder. The claims are not currently resolved.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's major depressive disorder, which may change based on additional evidence.

The Veteran's recurrent major depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at a 70 percent disability rating on and after October 12, 2014. The claim for TDIU has been denied.

The Board has determined that a timely substantive appeal was not received for the December 2016 rating decision denying service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's representative argues that his claim should be remanded due to the failure of VA to expand the scope of the PTSD claim under Clemons v. Shinseki, but the Board finds this argument factually and legally incorrect as the appeal did not become final because the Veteran did not perfect his appeal within the required time frame.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and MDD with polysubstance abuse in partial remission have not met the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent, as his symptoms do not warrant total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression, is not found to be secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence showing that the Veteran’s sleep impairment was caused by or worsened by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete information about the Veteran's service in Iraq, which may affect his claims for PTSD and TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to a lack of current diagnoses and conflicting medical opinions. The Veteran was presumed exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was granted. The claims for heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% from December 31, 2019. The Board has remanded the cases for further development regarding service connection for keratosis pilaris and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his mental health condition and heart issues, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding causation and aggravation of his dysthymic disorder and depression by his service-connected gout and spondylolysis disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left ankle fracture was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to TDIU prior to May 16, 2019 due to his service-connected major depressive disorder and other disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on several conditions have been dismissed. The claims of reopening a psychiatric disorder and hypertension have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depressive disorder have been granted an initial 70 percent rating, effective July 5, 2017. The effective date for the TDIU was also established as July 5, 2017.