Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's currently diagnosed recurrent major depressive disorder with anxious distress was incurred in service and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for unspecified depressive disorder, and whether it is caused or aggravated by service-connected nephrolithiasis and/or GERD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is granted with an effective date of July 11, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The tinnitus, hypertension, and vertigo conditions are rated at the maximum allowable levels. The insomnia disorder and depressive disorder with anxious distress warrant a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective dates are being remanded due to the complexity of the issues involved.

The Board has found that the AOJ committed a pre-decisional error and must correct it before making a decision on the merits. Specifically, the claims file does not show that the AOJ attempted to obtain Social Security Administration disability benefits records relevant to rating the Veteran's psychiatric disability and assessing entitlement to TDIU prior to December 29, 2020. The Board has therefore remanded all claims for further action.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder condition, left ankle conditions, and chronic pain syndrome.

The Veteran's retroactive payment claim was resolved in February 2021, and the Board is dismissing the appeal as there is no case or controversy.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, is related to service and has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder, right knee disability, and left knee disability are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. Additional evidence will be sought and a new VA examination is required.

The Board denied service connection for depression and anxiety as they are considered symptoms of the Veteran's already service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, finding that there is no current diagnosis of such disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, major depressive disorder, stimulant use disorder, and alcohol use disorder precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as of December 31, 2018. The Board granted the claim for TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with DDD is granted a disability rating of 40 percent, effective July 8, 2016.,Service connection for left and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy is denied prior to September 28, 2017.,Service connection for depressive disorder is granted from May 10, 2016.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and anxious distress with panic attacks, is granted as secondary to her service-connected back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the appellant was the Veteran's surviving spouse and for clarification on the nature of any psychiatric disability present at the time of the Veteran's death, including its relationship to alcohol abuse.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, is granted as incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a failure to associate all available VA treatment records pre-dating the April 2020 SOC with the claims file.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD, is at least as likely as not related to his service in which he found dead bodies. Therefore, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.