Depression Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his time in active duty. The decision is based on expert medical opinions and the presence of stressors experienced during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to new evidence being added to the record.

All previously denied claims for service connection have been dismissed.,A noncompensable rating has been granted for bilateral ankle sprains since June 3, 2005.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder (obstructive sleep apnea), acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder), right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, right hip degenerative joint disease, left hip degenerative joint disease, right foot degenerative joint disease, and hypertension.,The Board found no evidence of in-service noise exposure for hearing loss or Agent Orange exposure for diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's service records did not document Vietnam service.

The Veteran's MDD and PTSD have been rated at 50 percent for the entire period on appeal. The Board has now granted a rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of this decision.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain. The Veteran's TDIU claims are denied prior to November 5, 2008 and after August 14, 2012.

Service connection has been granted for a right shoulder disability, low back disability, neck disability, and psychiatric disability (depressive disorder).,The effective date of the service connection is November 15, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of depressive disorder was granted, but the TDIU claim was denied. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as depressive disorder, is granted due to its increase in severity being proximately due to his service-connected disabilities. His tinnitus and basal cell carcinoma are not related to service or any incident therein. The voiding dysfunction, DM2 with hypertension and erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and lower extremities, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have been found to aggravate his depressive disorder.

The Veteran's OSA was not incurred during service, and his lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent disabling. The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for LLE radiculopathy from May 31, 2018 onwards and denied ratings in excess of 40 percent. For RLE radiculopathy, the Veteran received a 10 percent rating prior to December 18, 2012, and a 20 percent rating thereafter.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of a low back disorder, lump on right wrist, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression) due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with prior remand directives and the Veteran's inability to receive a VA examination. The examiner is requested to determine if any of the claimed psychiatric disorders are related to military service.

The Board granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service due to a history of depression dating back to 1968.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for an opinion on whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to her military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, and the rating for his lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome was also denied.

The Veteran died from drug intoxication, and the Board is remanding to determine whether his service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, was reopened. The Board found that the evidence is at least as likely as not related to service. Service connection for bilateral bicep condition to include tendonitis and bilateral foot disorder including plantar fasciitis are remanded due to lack of a VA opinion. Service connection for anemia and hypertension are also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death in December 1975, finding no evidence linking his suicide to a service-connected condition or any other basis. The claim was reopened and granted based on new medical opinions submitted by the appellant in June 2008.

The Board has granted the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to service.