Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions and need for additional development. The claims include psychiatric disability, stroke, and cause of death.

The Board has denied a higher rating for the Veteran's right knee meniscal tear and remanded his claim of service connection for a personality disorder, finding that secondary service connection is not possible due to the nature of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals regarding whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for depression, right upper extremity neuropathy, and left upper extremity neuropathy have all been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals, status post left knee medial meniscectomy is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for TDIU, a temporary total rating for convalescence based on bilateral inguinal hernia surgery, and an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for depressive disorder have been dismissed as the Veteran opted into the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and TDIU due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service records and a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's low back condition and psychiatric disorder are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the appellant's claimed mental health disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD. The Board found that there was no medical evidence linking any current psychiatric disability to active service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of left knee, right knee, and sleep apnea disabilities is dismissed. A 50 percent rating is granted for PTSD from June 6, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder was initially rated at 30% prior to March 30, 2015. From that date onwards, he is now rated at 70%. The issue of TDIU remains on appeal as part of the initial rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was rated at 30 percent for the period from September 4, 2012 to January 28, 2019. The rating was then increased to 50 percent effective April 1, 2019, but reduced back down to 30 percent for a portion of that period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and exposure. The AOJ is instructed to investigate potential herbicide agent exposure, obtain an addendum opinion from a VA psychologist on PTSD, arrange for a VA examination to determine if CAD, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and GERD are related to service or any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol abuse in sustained partial remission is granted a disability rating of 70 percent from January 22, 2010 to September 8, 2017. A TDIU was granted for the period May 1, 2016 to September 8, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate development, and a new VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU since May 12, 2020. The case is remanded for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration prior to May 12, 2020.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, is granted secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and right elbow disabilities. The reduction of the rating for his lumbar strain with muscle spasm from 40 percent disabling to 20 percent was not proper.

The Board has restored service connection for PTSD and granted special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ due to PTSD. Service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder is also granted as secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a gastrointestinal disability was denied in September 2014. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim.,For his unspecified depressive disorder, the Veteran received a 70% rating from August 27, 2015, but the Board denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. High blood pressure, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety neurosis, and PTSD), coronary artery disease status post coronary artery bypass, and colon cancer are all found to be related to service or presumptively due to exposure to herbicide agents.