Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder), right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection will be granted if there is a current disability, an in-service injury or disease, and a nexus between the two.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for any acquired psychiatric disorder, including delusional disorder, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. The VA examiner is requested to provide a new opinion considering the Veteran's lay statements and in-service reports.

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to April 27, 2014 is being remanded. Additionally, the earlier effective date for DEA benefits is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the TDIU issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder due to chronic pain with depressive features and PTSD was granted, effective February 15, 2008. An initial rating of 70 percent for the condition prior to April 7, 2022, is also granted.

The Veteran's migraines are aggravated by his service-connected depressive disorder, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

Service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and Asthma is granted, with effective dates of July 24, 2017, and March 7, 2019 respectively. Service connection for Tinnitus and Left Ear Hearing Loss is also granted, but the effective date for Tinnitus is set at March 13, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left hand fracture, major depression with anxiety and sleep disturbances, and lung disability due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran will be given another opportunity to attend VA examinations, and additional efforts must be made to obtain her complete service separation examination report.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left ankle pain, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, stimulant use, and cannabis use disorder), due to a failure to consider new evidence in the original decision.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for Major Depressive Disorder should be remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in verifying the Veteran's service with the Marine Corps Reserve and requesting associated medical records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and insomnia disorder, is granted as secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder, insomnia, and anxiety as secondary to his service-connected asthma. The claims are remanded due to inadequate opinions in the VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for PTSD, alcohol abuse disorder, and major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress. The case is being remanded to provide notice regarding the Veteran's claimed military sexual trauma (MST), complete additional development to verify stressors, and conduct a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder, along with other disabilities, renders him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants SMC-S based on this finding.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to December 16, 2016, for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and PTSD is denied. The Veteran's claim for a rating of 70 percent from December 16, 2016, for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and PTSD is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, and memory loss due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of entitlement to increased ratings for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a compensable initial rating for erectile dysfunction, and an earlier effective date for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress was denied. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability from July 8, 2015, but no earlier, and an effective date of July 8, 2015, for Dependents Educational Assistance benefits were granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression and anxiety, should be remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and a failure to provide notice of the right to a pre-decisional hearing.