Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was rated at 30 percent from September 28, 2011 to July 21, 2022. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The Veteran's current diagnosed unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress was not shown to be related to service or a service-connected disease or injury.

The Veteran's VA disability compensation award was removed for his spouse and dependent child due to non-verification of their dependency status. The appeal is dismissed as the claim has been resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including bipolar disorder, PTSD, MDD with psychotic features, depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, tobacco use disorder, and psychosis are found to have begun during service or be related to in-service events. The claims for sleep disturbances and bilateral eye disabilities are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the claims of PTSD and depression due to procedural errors in obtaining VA examinations.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals regarding an increased rating for PTSD and the earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD.

The Veteran is granted an annual clothing allowance for the use of a manual wheelchair during the 2022 calendar year due to wear and tear on his clothing caused by the wheelchair.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder has been dismissed as the issue is now covered by a full grant of service connection for persistent depressive disorder with other specified personality disorder to include alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 11, 2018, for the award of a 70 percent rating for unspecified depressive disorder and TDIU has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed PTSD and depressive disorder, as well as other acquired psychiatric disorders. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 100% disability rating for depressive disorder is granted, but the effective date remains October 2, 2020. The matter of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including SSA disability records. The AOJ will consider the recent grants of service connection in conjunction with the TDIU application.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder with generalized disorder with insomnia disorder is denied. The effective date assigned is December 29, 2023, which is the date of the Veteran's intent to file.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder with insomnia disorder is denied. The current disability rating of 70 percent is considered appropriate given the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, depression, and lack of energy was granted with an effective date set at November 10, 1992.

The Veteran's service-connected other specified trauma and stressor related disorder with persistent depressive disorder does not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities, including bipolar disorder and depression, were denied in November 2016. The effective date of the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder was December 23, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure of VA to obtain an adequate VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorders are caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's disease.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and adjustment disorder are granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted service connection, and the Board finds that his fatigue and sleep apnea are related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.