Depression Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, based on in-service stressors related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with radiculopathy, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is granted service connection. The claim for hysterectomy secondary to fibroids and left ovarian cyst is remanded.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the Veteran's claim was not timely filed and no new evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression was granted in full. The Board dismissed the issue as moot due to the grant of benefits.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder conditions, as well as his psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD), and neck condition. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.,Service connection was not granted because there is no evidence of a current disability in the Veteran's shoulders or mental health conditions that can be linked to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is not related to service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of anxiety and depression disorders are dismissed as moot due to the overlap with his already service-connected PTSD.,For the entire appeal period, a 70 percent disability rating has been granted for PTSD, but no higher.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and severe MDD with psychotic features from May 17, 2019, to July 27, 2022, was denied. The evidence showed that the Veteran exhibited symptoms consistent with a 50 percent rating but not higher.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain evaluation was restored to 20 percent, effective January 10, 2019. An increased evaluation of 70 percent for unspecified depressive disorder and a 10 percent evaluation for hypertension were granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, which are currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder and other conditions. His claim for an increased rating for depressive disorder is also granted, but the claim for migraine headaches and lumbar spine condition remains pending.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for PTSD service connection and an increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder with alcoholic behaviors, major depressive disorder, and somatic symptom disorder are proximately due to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions as secondary to his back pain.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as it was caused by hazardous noise exposure in service.,Service connection for hepatitis C with liver cirrhosis is denied because there is no evidence of onset or causation during service and the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis prior to separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and major depression are being remanded due to a duty to assist error. A VA examination is required to address all theories of entitlement.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and PTSD, is related to his service. The VA needs to obtain an addendum from a clinician addressing these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depression and prostate cancer residuals, prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 23, 2012. The Board granted an effective date of January 23, 2012, for TDIU and DEA benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder was granted a TDIU in the June 2023 rating decision, and the Appellant is eligible for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has been raised and needs to be remanded for further development.