Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and as secondary to a service-connected condition, is granted but remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, other specified depressive disorder, is granted as it is proximately due to his service-connected throat cancer.,The Veteran's skin disability affecting the back, legs, hands and arms (skin tags) is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and failure to provide proper notice of upcoming examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD related to in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, and PTSD, is granted as service-connected.,An increased rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability from October 15, 2015 to November 25, 2019 is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Other Specified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder (claimed as PTSD and Depression) is granted. The appeal to reopen the claim of service connection for asthma is also granted.

The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depression have been rated at 70 percent since October 27, 2021. The Board found that the severity of his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions were denied.,No specific reasons or bases are provided in the decision summary.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with depression, and he is also awarded SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has denied an evaluation in excess of this level.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including insomnia disorder and other specified depressive disorder, was granted an initial 50 percent rating from December 8, 2020 to the present. The effective date for service connection for other specified insomnia disorder secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disorder with right SI dysfunction is set at December 8, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines are now rated at 50 percent, effective November 7, 2021.,The Veteran's service-connected IBS is now rated at 30 percent, effective November 7, 2021.

The Board has determined that there are missing service records and the RO did not obtain all relevant information. The case is being remanded to ensure all available records are obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including obtaining VA treatment records from Randolph Air Force Base.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and PTSD (also claimed as alcohol use disorder), is granted subject to the laws and regulations governing monetary awards.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need to obtain private treatment records from Dr. M.

The appeal to revise the effective date for the 70 percent evaluation of PTSD is dismissed because the proposed rating decision was not a final determination and thus cannot be appealed.

The Veteran's ambulance transportation on April 5, 2020 was for an acute UTI and met the prudent layperson definition of a medical emergency. The VA facility was not feasibly available, and the Veteran did not have other health insurance to cover the ambulance transportation. Therefore, payment or reimbursement is granted.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his award of a 50 percent evaluation for Major Depressive Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, as the decision was final due to lack of appeal or motion within one year.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder have been granted a 70 percent disability rating from June 27, 2009 to June 4, 2023.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service combat stressors. The appeal of the proposed finding of incompetency was dismissed as premature, and the appeal for tinnitus is moot.