Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for major depressive disorder was granted, but his claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied. The TDIU issue is still pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus and major depressive disorder was granted. However, his claim for a higher rating for low back disability was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence and additional examination. The issues include degenerative disc disease, bilateral knee pain, and depression.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted a higher rating for major depressive disorder with insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea, nor did he receive service connection for his right knee disorder.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and depression, as well as alcohol abuse. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including for psychiatric, hearing loss, and coronary artery disease evaluations. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings due to new evidence received since the April 2019 SOC. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his service connection for a residual scar from salivary gland stone removal and depressive disorder are being reviewed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no new and material evidence to reopen them. The effective dates for some of these claims were not established.

The Board has remanded the claims for a respiratory disability, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) due to potential herbicide exposure in Korea. The Veteran's service records show he was stationed at Camp Casey in Korea from 1980 to 1981. Further development is needed to verify his claimed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected tinnitus is denied as the disability has already been rated at its maximum under the applicable schedular criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive and personality disorders, persistent depressive disorder with major depressive episodes with anxious distress, is at least as likely as not etiologically linked to his active duty service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety and PTSD, has been reopened. The Board has ordered the VA to attempt to verify the Veteran's in-service stressors and schedule him for a VA examination if they are corroborated.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased ratings for left foot and hand disabilities, and TDIU due to unresolved issues related to medical opinions and examination findings.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a conclusion that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his records.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. Service connection for prostate condition is denied. For the rating period prior to February 20, 2007, a 40 percent schedular rating for lumbar spine disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and analysis regarding his service-connected disability, depression, drug abuse, and TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a retrospective examination and an extraschedular TDIU evaluation due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities from May 14, 2013 to July 30, 2014.

The Veteran's MDD has been rated at 50% for the period between December 10, 2009 and August 21, 2013. For the period between August 21, 2013 and September 23, 2019, a higher rating of 70% is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for depression secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hallux valgus and bilateral knee arthritis, with a compensable disability rating of 10 percent. The issues regarding increased ratings for bilateral foot scars, right foot hallux vagus, left foot hallux vagus, and effective dates prior to August 25, 2008 have been remanded.