Depression Board decisions

The Board has reopened the service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder. The Veteran's condition is related to his service and he is granted service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for HIV, blindness secondary to HIV, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) secondary to HIV due to insufficient medical opinions and missing SSA records.

The Veteran's scar, status post left breast biopsy, is granted a 10 percent rating beginning January 6, 2020. The Veteran's prior requests for higher ratings are denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and breast tumors are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, while his bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder are denied.,Service connection for the right elbow disability, left elbow disability, and back disability remains pending due to need for additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. Another remand is required.

The Veteran's increased disability evaluation for persistent depressive disorder and entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) are both remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private medical treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression has been reopened, and the Board is remanding the case to allow for a new VA examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorders are related to in-service events.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the incorrect use of a modernized review system form. The AOJ must issue an SOC and allow for a timely substantive appeal if one is filed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder, unspecified neurocognitive disorder, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The evidence received since the previous denial indicates that these conditions may have begun during active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressor and the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral pes planus with osteoarthritic changes is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression), and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further development. The issues include psychiatric disabilities, substance abuse disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD and persistent depressive disorder, is related to his combat service in Vietnam. The Board granted service connection for these conditions based on the presumption of service connection due to combat exposure.

The Veteran's initial rating for persistent depressive disorder prior to March 30, 1989 was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The case is remanded due to issues related to service connection and TDIU.

The Veteran's representative withdrew all pending disability compensation claims and appeals, including those related to various conditions such as posterior fossa tumor ependymoma, left wrist neuropathy, cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, depressive disorder (combined with neurocognitive disorder), light-headedness, dizziness and/or vertigo, headaches, ankle sprains, scars of the head, cognitive disorder, voiding dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 18, 2017 for a 50 percent rating for Major Depressive Disorder was denied. The Board found that the earliest date of entitlement to this rating is January 26, 2018, which is later than the date of receipt of his claim (December 18, 2017).

The Veteran's bilateral knee condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and persistent depressive disorder with anxious features), obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension are all granted service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for OSA, major depressive disorder, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, phobia, and depressive disorders, all related to military service exposure.