Depression Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, borderline personality disorder, alcohol and opioid abuse disorder, depression, and anxiety due to military sexual trauma.

The veteran was granted a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and insomnia, effective November 16, 2018.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depressive disorder.

The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance was not due to service-connected disabilities, and therefore special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound for accrued benefits is denied.

The Board denied service connection for adjustment disorder with anxiety, major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate, migraine including migraine variants, near-syncope (claimed as vasovagal syncope), thoracolumbar strain (claimed as musculoskeletal mid/lower back thoracolumbar spine), and tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and tinnitus to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining a VA examination.

The appeal concerning service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, is dismissed due to the Veteran's death while the appeal was pending.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, bilateral tinnitus, generalized anxiety disorder (to include depressive disorder due to medical condition), and left foot tinea pedis. The Board also granted a 20 percent evaluation for the left shoulder strain but denied service connection for right lateral lower extremity radiculopathy and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of colon rectal cancer and depression, to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected colon cancer and tinnitus.

The Board granted an effective date of March 30, 2023, for a 100 percent rating for depressive disorder with major depressive-like episode.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder with depression (GAD), and a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae. The claims for service connection for chronic left knee pain, chronic right knee pain, low back pain, neurogenic erectile dysfunction, onychomycosis, and pain and dysfunction of the right shoulder were remanded.

The Board denied the appellant's eligibility for direct payment of attorney fees from benefits resulting from the March 2024 grant of past-due benefits.

The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.

The Board denied an effective date prior to January 26, 2012 for the award of service connection for a depressive disorder.

The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected depression, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, and awarded a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The effective date for the awards of service connection for the lower extremity conditions was denied.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for major depressive disorder (also claimed as PTSD, severe depression, and anxiety) due to the symptoms not warranting a higher rating.

The Board remands the claims for an effective date prior to October 8, 2013, for service connection of major depressive disorder, TDIU, and DEA due to a failure by the AOJ to properly address a Higher-Level Review request.

The Board granted service connection for lower back disability, neck disability (cervicalgia), and persistent depressive disorder with cannabis use disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was denied.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal regarding the proposal to discontinue service connection for generalized anxiety disorder with major depression.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and higher ratings for various disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, residual surgical scar of the right shoulder, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder with depressive disorder, left foot plantar fasciitis with pes planus and metatarsalgia, fracture of the left ankle, and residuals, fracture, left third metacarpal/long finger.