Depression Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder claimed as MST, finding that there is no credible evidence to support a link between his current condition and in-service stressors.

The appeal of the deferred claim for bilateral knee condition is dismissed. The denial of service connection for TBI and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorder, is upheld. The claims for sinus condition are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to May 11, 2021, for service connection for depressive disorder as related to his right knee instability status post repair.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders. The VA is required to provide an opinion on this matter.

The Board dismissed the appeals for PTSD, anxiety, depression, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and cervical spondylosis as untimely filed.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disabilities. The claim of service connection for migraine headaches is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and PDD, are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service stressors or a nexus between current symptoms and active duty.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.,The Veteran's plantar fasciitis including bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus and residuals of left great toe fracture is rated at 30 percent, which is appropriate given her symptoms do not meet the criteria for more severe ratings.,The Veteran's bilateral TMD joint dysfunction with nocturnal bruxism is rated at 10 percent, which is appropriate based on her interincisal range and dietary restrictions.,The Veteran's cervical strain with degenerative arthritis including disc space narrowing is rated at 10 percent, which is appropriate given the limitations in motion and functional impairment.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve is rated at 30 percent, which is appropriate based on her symptoms and findings.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve is rated at 40 percent, which is appropriate given the severity of her symptoms and functional impairment.,The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain including degenerative arthritis is rated at 20 percent, which is appropriate based on her findings and limitations.,The Veteran's uterine fibroid is not compensable as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition is granted as service-connected.,There is no evidence of a current back condition, and the claim for this issue is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of unspecified depressive disorder was granted. The claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD with major depressive disorder was dismissed due to the untimeliness of her Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities and tinnitus due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's conditions and his military service. The AOJ will consider any new evidence submitted during the period after the April 2020 decision.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, bipolar II disorder, and major depressive disorder. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported in-service personal assaults and continuous symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the claim due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically failing to afford the Veteran an examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed psychiatric disorders. The Veteran is presumed to have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) during service but needs further evidence corroborating this stressor.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include other specified anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder, other substance induced depressive disorder, and other specified personality disorder with narcissistic traits, as additional development is required to determine whether the in-service event caused the Veteran's other specified anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's service connection for migraine headaches and major depressive disorder was granted effective March 12, 2021. Service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is also granted.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for depression, right flatfoot, and sleep disturbance, fatigue, and anxiety.

The Veteran's initial rating for major depressive disorder is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, finding that the Veteran's mental health issues were not related to his military service due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent from August 27, 2020, to August 5, 2021. The Board has remanded the issues of increased evaluations for unspecified depressive disorder beginning August 6, 2021, intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and TDIU.