Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including MDD and unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Board denied service connection for major depressive disorder and unspecified/generalized anxiety disorder, as well as the readjudication of a previously denied claim for tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were not supported by competent evidence linking her conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating for PTSD, persistent depressive disorder to include TBI, and posttraumatic headaches are denied. The claim for restoration of the 30 percent rating for hypothyroidism is granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and MDD, are granted as they are related to verified stressors experienced during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression and anxiety, is being remanded due to incomplete records. The Board finds that the Veteran has current diagnoses of these conditions but needs his complete SPRs, private treatment records, and SSA records to be obtained.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder was improperly reduced from a 70% to a 50% rating, and the 70% rating is restored. Service connection for endometriosis is granted, and a 30% disability rating for residuals of ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids s/p hysteroscopy and perforation of the cervix is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and other conditions, has been dismissed due to their passing away during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for skin cancer of the nose, ears, and face and depression as secondary to skin cancer. The evidence supports that these conditions are related to in-service exposure to sunlight.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of back disability due to it being decided prior to the implementation of the Appeals Modernization Act. The right leg neuropathy and acquired psychiatric disabilities (anxiety and major depression) are remanded for further review.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 4, 2016 for the award of a TDIU due to service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress. The Veteran was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since February 2015.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date for service connection is September 24, 2014, for major depressive disorder, and March 8, 2011, for right shoulder rotator cuff tendinosis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of service connection for anxiety (also claimed as depression), back pain, bone fracture (also claimed as joint pain) on the right foot, chest pain, sleep disturbances, and major depressive disorder (depression).

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for borderline personality disorder with persistent depressive disorder is dismissed.,An effective date earlier than November 23, 2011, for the award of service connection for borderline personality disorder with persistent depressive disorder is granted.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be proximately due to his service-connected major depressive disorder with insomnia, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for unspecified depressive disorder was granted, with the effective date remaining at June 24, 2020. The issue of an earlier effective date for service connection on this condition has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective February 26, 2018. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension and chronic cardiovascular disease as secondary to hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea have been granted with a rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as the issues being appealed are already before the Board in another docket. The main issue is about an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, which was previously decided by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for a rating of 70 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to June 23, 2018 was denied as there is no basis for an earlier effective date.,The Veteran's claim for a rating of 100 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to August 14, 2019 was also denied due to lack of evidence showing the disability had reached that level within one year prior to his supplemental claim.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder and depression disorder, finding that there was no current disability to support the claims.