Depression Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a thoracolumbar spine disability, and residuals of prostate cancer. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is found to be proximately due to, or aggravated by, her service-connected bilateral lower extremity RSD/CRPS with stress fractures of the tibia (to include MTSS).,The Veteran's headaches are also found to be proximately due to, or aggravated by, her service-connected bilateral lower extremity RSD/CRPS with stress fractures of the tibia (to include MTSS).

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits is denied as the evidence does not show he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected major depressive disorder with anxious distress prior to April 26, 2023.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression due to his discharge under 'other than honorable' conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been denied due to the lack of evidence showing current tinnitus.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been withdrawn and dismissed as per the Veteran's request.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 10, 2024 for the award of service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder. Service connection for social adjustment disorder and agoraphobia is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, adjustment disorder, depression, and substance abuse disorder, was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and there was no corroborated in-service stressor.,Service connection for COPD was also remanded due to the VA examiner's competence being challenged by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder alone prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board granted a TDIU rating. The Veteran was also granted SMC based on his service-connected disabilities.

Your service connection for depression and insomnia disorder has already been granted, so your appeal is dismissed.

The Board has denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for an additional disability associated with left dural AV fistula surgery, and the service connection claim for depressive disorder secondary to all service-connected disabilities is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is aggravated by his service-connected disabilities of lumbar spine strain, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, and vertigo. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to these conditions is granted.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal before a decision was made, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70% disability rating for her psychiatric disorder is granted, as evidenced by a May 19, 2025 report from her treating clinician demonstrating a factual worsening of her condition within the one year look back period prior to her July 2025 claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the severity, frequency, and duration of his symptoms did not more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral radiculopathy, and bilateral knee disabilities. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service-connected migraine headaches, depressive disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and left knee limitation of flexion. The earliest effective date assigned was February 10, 2024, for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has denied service connection for TMJ and remanded the claims of increased rating for major depressive disorder and service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 are being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring the provision of an adequate medical opinion regarding whether her current disabilities are related to VA care.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and his depression and anxiety are considered part of the PTSD rating. His hearing loss, right elbow pain, left elbow pain, TBI, left knee condition, and sleep apnea claims are denied.