Depression decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and posttraumatic head injury (claimed as headaches, vertigo, and depression) due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran is granted SMC for loss of use of the left lower extremity and a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to service-connected RSD.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for major depression as secondary to his service-connected residuals of facial paralysis and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability involving his left shoulder, wrist, or depression as a result of service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The VA has determined that the veteran's major depression with panic attacks does not warrant a higher initial rating than 30 percent.

The veteran is seeking an increased initial disability rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder with psychotic features and a TDIU rating. The Board has determined that additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the veteran for another VA examination, is necessary before this case can be decided.

The VA denied service connection for depression with insomnia, finding no competent medical evidence linking the current psychiatric disability to military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of major depression with psychotic features, finding that the March 1982 application to reopen his claim was abandoned due to lack of response within one year. The earliest possible effective date is February 5, 1991.

The Board has determined that the veteran's surviving spouse is in need of regular aid and attendance due to her physical limitations, including frequent falls and inability to care for herself without assistance.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable rating for hemorrhoids and an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for depression are on appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic mood disorder, claimed as depression and anxiety, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for major depressive disorder, but granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. The decision is mixed as it grants one condition and denies another.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder warrants a 100 percent evaluation, reflecting total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a lung disorder, anxiety or depression, hearing loss, tinnitus, or hypertension that is attributable to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for depression and a personality disorder, finding that there was no evidence of an acquired psychiatric condition during service or within one year after separation. The Board also found Dr. Longo's opinion insufficient to establish the etiology of the veteran's current psychiatric impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of depressive disorder, finding that the earliest indication of intent to file a claim was on June 30, 2000.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including recurrent major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder, originated during his active service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 50 percent from December 13, 2000 to February 27, 2002. From February 27, 2002 onwards, the rating was increased to 70 percent.