Depression decisions — 2000

The Board found that the appellant's claimed PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and denied his claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychoneurotic disability, to include major depression. However, the claim remains denied as there is no competent evidence of a current psychiatric disability in service or a relationship between a current psychiatric disability and service.

The veteran's coronary artery disease with hypertension, status post coronary artery bypass graft, is currently rated at 60 percent disabling. His major depressive disorder is rated at 10 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of stress fractures of the ankles, major depressive disorder, and reopening a claim for service connection for headaches.

The Board denied a request for an effective date prior to July 7, 2000 for assignment of a 100 percent rating for the veteran's depressive disorder with psychotic features. The earliest ascertainable increase in disability occurred after the claim was received on July 7, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for depression and for increased evaluations of his gunshot wound disabilities. The veteran was not granted a higher evaluation for his left anterior chest disability prior to July 9, 1980, or for his right anterior chest disability. He also did not receive a compensable evaluation for his nonossifying fibromas.

The veteran's claim for service connection for depression is granted as the evidence supports a finding that his current diagnosis of depression is related to his period of service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's variously diagnosed neurosis, including PTSD, developed during their first period of service and grants the claim for service connection.

The veteran's inpatient hospital care at Louisville was provided for his service-connected major depression and meets the criteria for reimbursement or payment of unauthorized medical care.

The Board has ordered a remand to address the veteran's claims of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, including alcohol and drug abuse, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and major depression. The examiner is instructed to determine if learning about the deaths of his friends constituted a sufficient stressor for PTSD and whether any other diagnosed conditions are related to service.

The veteran's major depression is manifested by total occupational and social impairment, including symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent danger of hurting self or others, and intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports a 100 percent evaluation for major depression.

The veteran's claims for service connection are granted, with the conditions being related to undiagnosed illnesses and reopening of his claims based on new evidence.

The Board denied the reopening of both claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that it does not have jurisdiction to decide the matter of attorney fees eligibility, as addressed by the Court in Scates v. Gober.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected anxiety neurosis with depression does not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent, as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, other than PTSD. The case is now remanded to determine if there are well-grounded claims and to conduct further development as needed.

The veteran's depression is found to be related to his service-connected PTSD. The claim for substance abuse is not well-grounded.

The Board denied service connection for major depression and degenerative joint disease of the left knee as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for depression secondary to migraine headaches is not well-grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence linking his depression to service or to his service-connected migraine headaches.

The Board has determined that the veteran's atypical psychosis disorder, when evaluated under the current rating criteria, meets the criteria for a 70 percent evaluation.