Depression Board decisions

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims and effective date claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including major depressive disorder and affective disorder. The evidence submitted since the final August 2003 rating decision was not new or material.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relationship to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The Veteran contends that he had a layover in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) while enroute to his assignment, but there is no concrete evidence confirming this claim.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right knee disorder, PTSD with depressive disorder and anxiety, and IBS has been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeals. The case is REMANDED for further development regarding his TDIU claim.,A VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's PTSD and IBS.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and insomnia disorder, so the claim is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and examination regarding service connection for PTSD and depression. The Veteran's claims will be further developed and examined in order to determine if there is a valid stressor event that can corroborate his claims.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hypertension, knee conditions, hearing loss, mental health disorders, COPD and/or asthma, and sleep apnea. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records, verifying stressors, confirming exposure to asbestos, scheduling examinations for each condition, and determining the etiology of any diagnosed respiratory disorder and sleep disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional medical records and treatment information, including SSA records and VA/privately obtained mental health and heart disability records.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation for tinnitus and service connection for major depressive disorder, right lower extremity sciatica, and effective date prior to February 8, 2017 were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of February 8, 2017 for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity sciatica was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at a 70 percent rating for the entire period on appeal, and he is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder with persistent depressive disorder and alcohol abuse has not caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, so a higher rating than 30 percent is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 20, 2015 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for earlier TDIU or DEA effective dates as his employment ended prior to November 20, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the Veteran's mental health conditions.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not experience an in-service event or injury related to his current conditions.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MST-related issues, due to insufficient evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his DDD involving the lumbosacral spine and related radiculopathy conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since December 1, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder with anxious distress) and insomnia disorder, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not due to pain and physical limitations caused by service-connected disabilities. Service connection for a disability manifested by loss of appetite was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, right knee degenerative arthritis, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since November 2014. Effective from March 30, 2016 (the date of claim for the underlying grant of service connection for major depressive disorder), he is granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to service.