Depression Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and unspecified anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to her reported in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder is rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The appeals concerning various disabilities and benefits have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for major depressive disorder due to its relationship with the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea. The VA is required to provide a medical examination and opinion to determine if the depression is related to the Veteran's active duty service or his service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of February 1, 1993, for service connection due to PTSD with depressive disorder NOS and anxiety disorder NOS based on a finding of no clear and unmistakable error in the August 1993 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for chronic groin injury, right ankle pain, left ankle pain, psychiatric disability (adjustment disorder and depressive disorder), and allergic rhinitis due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding causality.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, including PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder, was found to have manifested as no worse than occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a work-like setting, inability to establish and maintain effective relationships, suicidal ideation, intrusive memories, dissociative reactions (such as flashbacks), avoidance of reminders of trauma, irritability and angry outbursts, hypervigilance, and an exaggerated startle response. The Veteran's disability rating was denied for a higher than 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's PTSD with an alcohol-use disorder and major depressive disorder is granted a 100% evaluation, effective November 18, 2016. The VA has ordered remands for evaluations of thoracolumbar myofascial syndrome and left ankle sprain.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error involving private medical records and workers' compensation records. The AOJ must attempt to obtain these records before considering the merits of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression, have been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for headaches and depressive disorder (claimed as insomnia) secondary to tinnitus because these conditions were granted on a direct basis in other decisions, not related to this appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of August 8, 2016 is granted as this is the date VA received her intent to file. The Board finds that she has continuously pursued her claim and thus, an effective date of August 8, 2016, but no earlier, is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress and bipolar depression, did not have its onset during active service and is not otherwise related to active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, psychosis, and/or PTSD, as well as alcohol use disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder with unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder was denied in a May 2018 rating decision. The Veteran did not appeal this decision within one year, making it final. In January 2021, the Veteran submitted a Supplemental Claim application requesting service connection for PTSD (which is similar to major depressive disorder with unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder). This claim was granted with an effective date of December 18, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal for initial compensable ratings for anterior trunk, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity scars has been dismissed.,Service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted. However, the claim for a rating greater than 60 percent for coronary artery disease prior to October 29, 2020 remains denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, including both schedular and extraschedular considerations. The Board has dismissed the appeal as withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an additional examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection on multiple conditions, including right hand, wrist and thumb condition, dizziness and nausea, ear condition, left and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, and major depression. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating of his psychiatric disability and establishment of basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.