Depression decisions — 2002

The veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent disabling. The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantial gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board found that the earliest date on which it was factually ascertainable that the veteran's PTSD with associated major depression had become 100 percent disabling was February 9, 2000. Therefore, the effective date for the grant of a 100 percent rating is set to this date.

The veteran's psychoneurosis, reactive depression, is rated at the highest possible disability evaluation of 100 percent due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board found that the veteran's vocational rehabilitation benefits were properly discontinued due to his failure to maintain satisfactory conduct and cooperation in developing and implementing a program of rehabilitation services.

The veteran's PTSD with major depression has rendered him unable to obtain or maintain employment, warranting a 100 percent evaluation. Headaches do not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension and major depression with agoraphobia were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they etiologically related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and thus denied his claim.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability related to service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, nervousness, and fatigue, have been attributed to known diagnoses of bipolar disorder and major depression. There is no evidence that these conditions are related to service or undiagnosed illness.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but denied the other claims due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted a higher initial rating of 30 percent for the veteran's major depressive disorder and pain disorder as secondary to his service-connected vasectomy residuals, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, which was previously denied in 1992. The evidence now supports a diagnosis of PTSD related to military service.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, effective June 29, 1998. The claim to reopen a lung disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the eligibility requirements for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment due to his service-connected disabilities, as they do not result in loss of use of one or both feet or hands.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a respiratory disorder, skin rash, hair loss, otitis externa, tinnitus, inguinal lymph node hyperplasia, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and a psychiatric disorder. The veteran's claims were not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current mental health issues, including depression and memory problems, are related to his head injury sustained during service in 1956.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to November 9, 1999 or in excess of 50 percent from that date.

The VA denied the veteran's claim that they improperly recouped his severance pay, as the evidence showed no prior recoupment of the $3,241.20 in severance pay and the entire amount was recouped from May 1999 to May 2000.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected major depression had improved and granted a reduction from 30% to noncompensable effective October 1, 1999.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's disabilities, including generalized arthralgias, status post colectomy for polyps, and status post adenoma of the duodenum, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total rating for pension purposes due to their combined 40 percent evaluation.