Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for her service-connected PTSD is remanded due to conflicting medical diagnoses and the need for further development.

The Veteran's combined rating for the appeal period prior to April 16, 2023 is granted at a maximum of 100 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request for a waiver of overpayment debt in the amount of $15,310.52 due to no fault on his part and against equity and good conscience.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions including contact dermatitis, erectile dysfunction, hypersomnolence, insomnia (also claimed as anxiety, depression, social adjustment disorder, and short-term memory loss with lack of concentration), incontinence, prostate condition, numbness of left side of face, and allergic rhinitis due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine degenerative joint disease, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (panic disorder and depressive disorder).

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder was rated at 50 percent disabling, and the Board found that her symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder blade disability, sinusitis, depression (separate from generalized anxiety disorder), insomnia (separate from generalized anxiety disorder), and collar bone disability due to a lack of current diagnoses in the medical records.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 26, 2019 for the award of service connection for depression rated at 30 percent disabling. The claims for service connection for a bilateral foot condition and bilateral hand condition are remanded due to new and relevant evidence submitted after the August 2019 rating decision. The claim for service connection for nasal condition (including sinusitis) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and stress disorder due to a failure to obtain treatment records related to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating, earlier effective date for service connection, TDIU, and DEA was denied. The Board found the level of impairment caused by the Veteran's symptoms most closely approximates the level associated with a 50 percent rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder due to chronic pain syndrome and PTSD, as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and bilateral lower radiculopathy disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at a 100 percent disability rating, indicating total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been granted a 100 percent schedular rating, reflecting the severity of symptoms including suicidal ideation and depression.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities, including major depressive disorder and PTSD. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active duty or are related to in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current audiometric test results.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including missing service treatment records from both periods of active duty and Veteran Center records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as he was employed full-time prior to June 8, 2020. The Board finds that TDIU is not warranted based on the single service-connected disability of his back condition.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the Veteran did not demonstrate total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of depressive disorder associated with prostate cancer was denied as the criteria were not met or approximated.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD due to new and relevant evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature, etiology, and relationship of any psychiatric disability to in-service stressors.