Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma. The case will be reviewed again with consideration of new evidence and a thorough examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The AOJ must obtain an addendum VA medical opinion to address whether OSA was caused or aggravated by his service-connected persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and anxiety disorder, is rated at 70 percent from October 10, 2012. The effective date for the TDIU has been set to October 10, 2012.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder as secondary to his service-connected Cushing's disease.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 13, 2013 for the award of service connection for PTSD, intermittent explosive disorder, and persistent depressive disorder (also claimed as depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder). The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms first manifested prior to discharge.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for persistent depressive disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current depression and his in-service MVA. The Board also found that the Veteran's self-medicating with alcohol did not cause or aggravate his depression.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression, a neck condition, thyroid condition, hypertension and sleeping conditions has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran's representative.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including alcohol use disorder, dementia, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia disorder, and major depressive disorder, as well as a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for adhesive pleurisy and painful scar. The decision also noted that the appellant did not meet the criteria to be considered a dependent child or have evidence showing she bore the expense of the Veteran's last illness and burial.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, specifically adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The Veteran seeks service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and major depressive disorder were denied, while the appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings for either condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic sinusitis, and thoracolumbar spine pain. The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder claim is remanded.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to November 27, 2020, for the assignment of a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD as there was no ascertainable increase in severity within one year prior to receipt of his February 2021 supplemental claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional failure of the duty to assist based on an inadequate examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD or depressive disorder or mood disorder with depressive features, is now pending and will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for a medical opinion regarding the Appellant's mental state at the time of his misconduct. The character of service discharge is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands or feet, nor does it meet any other criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or adaptive equipment. The Board denied the claim as there is no evidence of permanent loss of use of a hand or foot due to service-connected disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, is granted service connection. The Veteran's tinnitus is also granted service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder to include TBI residuals is granted a 70 percent disability rating, but not higher, effective from July 2, 2019.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically major depressive disorder. The decision is based on credible reports of in-service incidents and a VA medical opinion linking these events to his current mental health condition.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those for an increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder and entitlement to service connection for GERD. The appeal for TDIU is considered moot as the Veteran felt he had been granted all benefits.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU based on his major depressive disorder was granted effective April 28, 2022. The Board found that there were no pending claims for TDIU prior to this date and it is not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in unemployability during the year period prior to this claim.