Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically whether it is related to his service or preexisted his service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, due to incomplete evidence and need for additional examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and chronic depression. The decision is based on credible lay assertions of the Veteran and his wife, along with a favorable VA opinion that found the Veteran's account of in-service experiences to be credible.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background, thus denying entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board has remanded several issues, including an increased rating for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, service connection for hepatitis B and C, kidney condition, bladder condition, and TDIU. The Veteran's Social Security records are to be obtained, a SOC is needed for the service connection claims, and the Veteran should be provided another opportunity to submit information for his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at 70 percent effective February 5, 1996. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms fall between a 50 and 70 percent rating throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a VA psychiatric evaluation to determine if any current psychiatric disability is etiologically related to active service or any event, disease, or injury during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied service connection for a back disability, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression or bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially denied for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent from May 28, 1996 through January 13, 2009. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD from June 22, 2007 to January 13, 2009.

The Veteran's appeals to reopen claims of service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal. The Board also remanded several issues related to service connection.

The Veteran's depression symptoms have resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating since April 28, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and panic disorder, was incurred during her service and is related to her military service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD and MDD have been rated at 70 percent, but the Board has determined that these conditions do not warrant a higher rating due to insufficient evidence of total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, other specified depressive disorder - depressive episode with insufficient symptoms, was denied an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent prior to October 14, 2019. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's right knee scar and right knee disability are remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.,The Veteran's right knee disability is remanded due to an inadequate August 2016 examination report. A new examination is needed to assess the extent of functional impairment during flare-ups.,The left knee disability, depression, and sleep disorder are all remanded for etiology opinions regarding their relationship to service or service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for a psychiatric disorder (depression) and diabetes mellitus are also remanded. The examiner must determine whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his service in Southwest Asia, as well as any aggravation of these conditions by his service-connected disabilities.,A sleep disorder is remanded for an examination to determine its relationship to service, specifically service in Southwest Asia.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus is also remanded. The examiner must consider the Veteran's pre-diabetes diagnosis during National Guard service and whether a sleep disorder caused or aggravated his current diabetes.

The Board has found the June 2019 VA psychiatric examination to be inadequate for purposes of evaluating the Veteran's service-connected anxiety with depressive disorder, due to its failure to consider relevant medical history and contemporaneous medical evidence. The claim is being remanded for a new retrospective examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and residuals of an infectious disease due to incomplete development of records, including in-service treatment records. The Veteran was not available for examination regarding his stressors and current symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, other than schizophrenia and depression (to include PTSD and bipolar disorder), was denied. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his back disability was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including dysthymic disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety. The decision finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was superimposed upon his pre-existing personality disorder during service.