Depression Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for metrorrhagia, right ankle strain, and major depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease that would qualify as 'active military, naval, or air service' and thus make her a 'veteran'.

The Board has granted service connection for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, MDD, and alcohol use disorder as these conditions are causally related to the Veteran's in-service event of learning about a friend's death during active-duty training.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety is being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence after a previous denial.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for earlier effective dates in both the evaluation of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, as well as for individual unemployability. As a result, the Board dismissed these claims.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to his death.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 7, 2020 for the grant of a 100 percent disability rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder), but not earlier. The decision is based on evidence showing total occupational and social impairment from that date.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, and psychiatric disability (including depression and PTSD) due to a duty-to-assist error regarding private treatment records. The Veteran is requested to provide authorization for VA to obtain these records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of all issues appealed.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for right and left lower extremity radiculopathies of the femoral, internal popliteal, sciatic nerves, and major depressive disorder have been granted. The Veteran is also remanded for further evaluation regarding his lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder in remission is granted at a 70% rating, effective from March 31, 2021. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in notifying the Veteran of evidence from sources other than service records and for failing to schedule an examination for PTSD. The claim will be reconsidered with these issues addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of various disabilities, including hearing loss, psychiatric conditions, sleep apnea, GERD, ulcers, prostate issues, hyperlipidemia, neck, back, ankle, elbow, eye glaucoma, foot, hip, shoulder, wrist, and knee disabilities are being remanded due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus and an acquired mental disorder (claimed as depression) due to a procedural error in providing notice of the right to a hearing.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent since March 13, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for clarification regarding his employment status, as well as a differentiation between MDD symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms.

The Veteran's initial rating for depressive disorder and unspecified insomnia disorder is denied, while a higher rating of 20 percent is granted for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The right lower extremity radiculopathy remains at its current 20 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, unspecified anxiety disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder due to a lack of evidence supporting the claimed stressors.

The Veteran withdrew his service connection claims for cardiovascular symptoms, chronic fatigue, depression, gastrointestinal symptoms, and sleep disturbance before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder of PTSD with PDD is directly related to his active-duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher, due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The evidence does not support a finding of total occupational and social impairment.