Depression Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the adequacy of the VA's efforts in locating and examining the Veteran, particularly regarding his claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to military sexual trauma (MST). The Veteran is asked to provide additional information and evidence related to his claimed MST stressor.

The Board found no evidence of a current acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, to support the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress and insomnia disorder is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, left foot disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression.

The Veteran's MDD was granted an initial rating of 70 percent effective May 21, 2019. The IVDS with arthritis of the lumbar spine and thoracic scoliosis received a higher rating from April 25, 2023.,A TDIU claim prior to July 11, 2014 was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, particularly PTSD. The decision is pending further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for rectal bleeding and other specified anxiety with alcohol use disorder were reopened.,Service connection was granted for status post multiple surgical procedures for rectal abscess and fistula and rectal incontinence (claimed as rectal bleeding), an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder with psychotic features and generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder secondary to major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and chronic pain from recurring rectal fistula.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, finding that the Veteran's current mental health conditions are related to his in-service personal assault during boot camp.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, is at least as likely as not related to his combat service. As a result, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such disability.,The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, neck disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis are all denied due to the lack of a current diagnosis.

Hypertension and generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder have been granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active service. Dyslipidemia has not been granted as a disability for which VA benefits may be awarded.,The Veteran's thyroid disability, heart disability (claimed as related to herbicide agent exposure), recurrent cervical spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, ankle, foot disabilities, gout, kidney disability, scrotum cyst, sleep apnea, and vertigo have been remanded for further review. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to January 28, 2022, and in excess of 50 percent from January 28, 2022, to June 1, 2022, for migraine including migraine variants has also been remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD has been rated at 70 percent since May 30, 2014, and the Board grants this rating.,The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher than 70 percent disability rating for his PTSD with MDD on or after April 27, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, leading to the grant of a TDIU for the entire appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, and will schedule an examination for the Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination and verify stressors, which could affect the determination of service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records.

The Board has decided to remand both claims for increased evaluations of TBI and major depressive disorder due to inadequate examinations and the need for new assessments.