Depression Board decisions

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the Veteran timely perfected an appeal regarding her claim for an effective date before October 20, 2009, for the grant of service connection for a major depressive disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration. Specifically, a VA medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with anxiety, major depression, and panic disorder or prescribed medications contributed to his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was denied as there was no in-service event or injury and the condition did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was denied due to the maximum schedular rating already assigned under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's claim for effective dates prior to August 27, 2013 for grants of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and major depressive disorder was denied as there is no legal basis for such a retroactive assignment.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The case was remanded for further examination and treatment records regarding eczema.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding her claimed sinusitis, heart/cardiovascular disability, hypertension, sleep disorder, and depression. The VA is required to provide a new examination or obtain medical opinions in order to determine if these conditions are related to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, bipolar II disorder, and borderline personality disorder, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, prostate cancer residuals with prostatectomy residuals, ventral hernia repair residuals, diabetes mellitus, and multiple radiculopathies, make him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the TDIU.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and sleep disorder was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim is granted as it meets the criteria for establishing entitlement to service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD, along with other specified depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder in remission, resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks prior to April 20, 2017. The Board found that the current rating of 30 percent was appropriate.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Persistent Depressive Disorder, due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the diagnoses found during the June 2018 VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, NOS is granted as secondary to his service-connected back and right shoulder disabilities. The rating for spondylosis of the lumbar spine remains at 20 percent, while the rating for degenerative joint disease, right shoulder, also remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for severe depression is remanded due to the submission of additional medical records. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include PTSD, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion using DSM-5 criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, depression, and TDIU due to incomplete records and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depression and PTSD, is related to his service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression due to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, specifically PTSD, anxiety and depression.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent rating. The TDIU claim is granted as well.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and depression, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since January 12, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder with Depression is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the criteria for entitlement to service connection have been met, and thus grants service connection.