Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD with depression caused total occupational and social impairment, leading to a rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain examination reports and determine if the service-connected conditions meet the criteria for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant.

The Board has granted service connection for anxiety with depression effective April 17, 2022, finding that the March 2023 rating decision incorrectly applied the statutory or regulatory provisions and thus committed clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Veteran's travel expenses for treatment on October 26, 2022 are now covered by VA as he has a service-connected disability rated at least 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder) are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from maintaining employment in the construction industry, and he was able to work with accommodations such as sedentary work and frequent breaks. The Board denied his claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and increased rating for other specified trauma-related disorder was denied. The Board found that the May 1974 denial of service connection for a personality disorder did not address a reasonable raised claim for depression, which is related to the same period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied because there is no evidence of current tinnitus symptoms during the review period.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for major depressive disorder with anxious distress is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a 100% evaluation due to lack of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the appeal regarding whether there was clear and unmistakable error in the August 7, 2006 rating decision for service connection of mood disorder NOS with depression and anxiety. The effective date request is also denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased disability evaluations and denied service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition. The Veteran was granted service connection for persistent depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased evaluation and earlier effective date for his depressive disorder with anxious distress have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depression, is granted as service connected. The low back disability claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's statements and medical records, as well as a need for an addendum opinion regarding his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, but not higher, due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for a new medical opinion to determine if it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and nightmare disorder.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of depression with chronic pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and tinnitus due to a withdrawal by the Veteran's authorized representative prior to the decision being promulgated.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of PTSD with major depressive disorder has been granted, and the effective date for service connection is set at October 14, 2019. However, the request for an earlier effective date prior to January 26, 2017, has been denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability alone is sufficient to render him unemployable, and his other disabilities (depressive disorder, radiculopathy, low back disability) are at least as disabling. The combined rating for these conditions meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's appeal is granted for an effective date of September 27, 2021, but the claim for a higher initial rating remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating was granted with an effective date of February 2, 2025. The Board found that the duty to assist error prevented a new VA examination until February 2026, and thus the appropriate effective date is the date of the supplemental claim.