Depression Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew her appeal on both issues of increased rating for major depressive disorder and service connection for a bilateral hip disorder before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and opinions on etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression and substance abuse, has been granted a total 100 percent rating throughout the appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including as secondary to a service-connected back disability, and denied his claim for a higher rating for his back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and missing records, particularly regarding the Veteran's depressive disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for depression that includes fatigue.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 70 percent for PTSD prior to October 4, 2019, was denied. The appeal regarding the TDIU due to PTSD prior to October 4, 2019, was dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is granted for an initial disability rating of 50 percent for post traumatic headaches. The application to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. Issues related to residuals of a stroke, right cornea disability, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on regular need for aid and attendance is remanded due to the lack of adequate contemporaneous medical examinations. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current state of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform activities of daily living.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for increased ratings in excess of 60 percent for a lung disability, 50 percent for depressive disorder, and 30 percent for coronary artery disease. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including PTSD, ED, incontinence with urinary frequency, coronary artery disease status post pacemaker implant, and residuals of a stroke disability. The TDIU claim is also on appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and examinations. The Veteran's psychiatric, right shoulder, and bilateral knee conditions are being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination findings and a need for further development of the record, including obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for depression, sarcoidosis, bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral knee disorder, and a low back disorder due to his death.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disability prior to April 20, 2009. The case is referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The appeal pertaining to the issue of entitlement to service connection for depression is dismissed. The Veteran's back disorder, diagnosed as lumbar intervertebral disc displacement, lumbar stenosis, spinal instabilities, low back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, and multilevel disc degeneration, is related to his military service. The appeal pertaining to the initial rating in excess of 30 percent prior to February 6, 2019, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter for PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection, TDIU, and nonservice-connected pension benefits due to incomplete development. The claims will be reconsidered with additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of a contemporaneous VA examination for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and because the issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for depressive disorder and for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims will be reconsidered with consideration of all relevant evidence added since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.