Depression Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right hip arthritis, but denied service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and unspecified neurocognitive disorder).

The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for his left ankle and psychiatric disorders. The Board finds that there is no persuasive evidence to support these claims.,The Veteran's current effective date for the grants of service connection for his left ankle and psychiatric disorders stems from an intent to file he submitted to VA in September 2018.

The Veteran's bladder cancer and its residuals are granted service connection. The kidney/ureter removal is also granted as secondary to the bladder cancer. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety, depression) and erectile dysfunction as secondary to the bladder cancer are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder was withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.,Claims for increased ratings for skin cancer on various upper extremities and face/neck were denied. The reduction in disability rating for hypertension from 10% to 0% was found improper, and the previous rating is restored.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and for further examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher rating of 70 percent or more for his acquired psychiatric disorder, and the Board dismissed the claim.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.,Direct service connection for hypertension, including as due to herbicide exposure, and service connection for an acquired psychological disorder (including depression), are both remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder diagnosed, including but not limited to depression, adjustment disorder, anxiety, bipolar disorder and mood disorder. The Veteran's claim is recharacterized as seeking service connection for multiple psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective September 18, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to a service-connected disability was granted. However, the claim for PTSD was denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 22, 2014, due to insufficient evidence showing he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI), an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, and tinnitus. The TBI claim was denied as the Veteran's preexisting condition did not worsen during service.,Service connection for PTSD and major depression were also denied due to lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including major depressive disorder with anxious features), cirrhosis of the liver, and pancreatitis are being remanded due to insufficient verification of stressor events and exposure records. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information or support for these claims.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of July 19, 2016 for the grant of service connection for Parkinson's disease (balance impairment) and its associated disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is not rated higher than 70 percent, and from February 14, 2018, the Veteran is granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective October 4, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for SMC at other than the housebound rate was denied as he did not meet the criteria for this benefit during the specified period.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA opinions and missing treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection, evaluation of his back condition, and SMC are being reviewed again.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the Appellant's request to withdraw her appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical records and the need for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any identified psychiatric disability is related to active service.