Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and insomnia due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressors. The claims are also being remanded to determine if the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, MDD, Anxiety, and Mood Disorder due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of the August 2017 rating decision. Additionally, the Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and MDD has been granted. The claims for service connection for a right elbow disability, low back disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, depression and bipolar disorder is remanded. Other claims are also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and insomnia as secondary to major depressive disorder, but denied service connection for chronic fatigue disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for his service-connected depressive disorder is denied because it is not factually ascertainable that the condition worsened in the year prior to March 27, 2018.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for his TDIU should be reconsidered based on the evidence of record and any new information regarding his employment and income since September 2012.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder with panic attacks was denied. The Veteran also had his left ear hearing loss rated as non-compensable, and service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms are currently rated at 30 percent, based on reduced reliability and productivity. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's claim to include any acquired psychiatric disability and is remanding for further development, including obtaining in-service mental health records and a new VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, needs further examination and evaluation. The case is being sent back to VA for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression and PTSD was reopened, but the claims were denied. The right shoulder disability rating remained at 40 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been denied. The Board has remanded several issues, including those related to sleep apnea, shoulder conditions, glaucoma, prostate condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since July 2009. The Board has granted a TDIU effective as of July 2009, but denied the claim prior to that date.

The Veteran's diagnosed PTSD is related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, hypertension, and headaches as well as higher ratings for a back, left sciatic nerve, and right sciatic nerve disabilities due to outstanding VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for major depressive disorder, mechanical low back strain, and left hamstring tendonitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 30 percent for MDD, 10 percent for mechanical low back strain, or 10 percent for left hamstring tendonitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depression, is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of sleep apnea but remands to obtain his VA treatment records.

The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and development of stressor evidence. The Veteran's statements, including his testimony at a Travel Board hearing, suggest that his current psychiatric conditions may be related to his military service.