Depression decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's depression and low back disability were not related to his military service, thus denying both claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's shell fragment wound with retained foreign bodies, orbital depression, and deformity of the anterior margin of the frontal sinus as a distinct ratable entity.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection for PTSD with dysthymia and depression was improperly granted due to fraud, and is now being severed. The claims of secondary service connection for various conditions are denied as there is no underlying service-connected disability. The claim for a right knee disorder on a direct basis remains pending.

The Board found that the veteran's current back condition, headaches, and acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) are not causally related to her active service.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, including recent VA treatment records and private treatment records. The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being reviewed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's depressive disorder is secondary to his service-connected headaches, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board is unable to determine whether the veteran's PTSD and depression are service-connected due to lack of evidence verifying his claimed stressors, but finds that new evidence has been submitted which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and his petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for panic attacks and depression. The denial is on the merits of the reopened claim, but the decision is mixed as it also denies the original claim.

The Board found no evidence of a psychiatric disorder in service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for depression is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining better quality records and arranging for a psychological examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current left shoulder disability is related to service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for ear, sinus, low back, neck, and depressive disorders are also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for emphysema, a psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety and depression), and arthritis of the joints. The veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no persuasive medical nexus evidence indicating a depressive disorder was incurred during his military service.

The veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, was found to not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent prior to March 12, 2003, or higher than 50 percent beginning on that date.

The Board found that there was no evidence of a psychiatric disorder during service and the veteran did not present with symptoms of an anxiety disorder or depression. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's major depression with psychotic features did not contribute substantially to his death from cardiomyopathy, and denied service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, disability of the knees, left elbow, and feet, a psychiatric disability including anxiety disorder and depression, and vertigo. The appeals were all denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen any of these previously denied claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, including depressive and anxiety disorders. The veteran's initial rating of 30 percent is maintained.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depression, was incurred in active service.