Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of major depressive disorder and residuals of prostate cancer render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting an earlier effective date for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from June 17, 2021.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or maintaining substantial gainful employment as of March 31, 2023.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability has not approximated total occupational and social impairment, but a TDIU was granted prior to December 21, 2023 due to the Veteran's inability to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for depression to afford the Veteran a VA examination and obtain updated treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep disorders, right foot disability, migraine, erectile dysfunction, and right elbow, shoulder, and knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for an initial compensable rating for depression due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including not providing an adequate examination and failing to notify the appellant about relevant private treatment records.

The proposal to reduce the rating assigned to Major Depressive Disorder with anxious distress from 70 percent to 50 percent was dismissed due to it not being an initial decision.

The Board granted an effective date of April 28, 2015 for the awards of service connection for various conditions including Parkinson's disease with weakness, tremor, and bradykinesia of the left upper extremity; right upper extremity weakness with tremor and bradykinesia (major); depressive disorder with sleep impairment; right lower extremity weakness with bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and balance impairment; left lower extremity balance impairment with muscle rigidity; speech changes, right CN-10; speech changes, left CN-10; stooped posture, right CN-11; stooped posture, left CN-11; erectile dysfunction; constipation; loss of sense of smell; and right automatic movements, CN-7; left automatic movements, CN-7.

The Board granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as major depression and schizophrenia, due to new evidence being submitted after the prior final denial.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including unspecified depression and anxiety, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss.

The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been withdrawn and is therefore dismissed.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and alcohol use disorder, finding that the appellant's mental health symptoms began during active service and continued since.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for sarcoidosis from February 28, 2023, and denied higher ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder.

The appeal seeking entitlement to service connection for depression and diabetes was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for the award of service connection of major depressive disorder with psychotic features and anxious distress.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as a 100 percent evaluation for persistent depressive disorder.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, considering that his service-connected orthopedic disabilities and major depressive disorder contributed substantially to his death.

The Board granted the restoration of a 30 percent rating for esophagitis, effective April 10, 2023, and denied increased ratings for major depressive disorder with anxiety, tinnitus, and epididymitis with chronic scrotal pain.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, anxiety not otherwise specified, and insomnia, due to the Veteran's in-service stressor involving an explosion during his deployment to Afghanistan.