Depression decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for service connection for major depression is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining corroborating statements from her former commanding officer and supply sergeant.

The VA granted the veteran's claim for an increased rating of 30 percent for dysthymia with major depression, effective January 7, 1997.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his Social Security Administration and employer records to assess the severity of his back and psychiatric disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for depression, finding that the new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has withdrawn the veteran's appeals for head injury, headaches with dizziness, major depressive disorder and cognitive disorder with memory loss, and residuals of electrical shock. The claim for service connection for a low back disability is reopened due to new evidence submitted by the veteran.

The veteran's initial increased disability ratings for her service-connected cervical strain with right shoulder involvement and chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease secondary to trauma have been denied.,Her PTSD has also been denied an increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of credible verification of the veteran's claimed stressors in service and her failure to report for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further VA examinations and development of evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and other issues were denied. Additional development is needed to address the claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for schizophrenia, finding that any current schizophrenia did not have its onset during active duty.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with VA examinations to determine his current conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left eyebrow laceration residual scar warrants a 10 percent rating. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examination of his psychiatric condition.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to verify his claimed in-service stressor and obtain additional VA medical records. The issues of service connection for PTSD, depression, and a stomach condition are also remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disability, including an antisocial personality disorder and depressive disorder. The evidence does not establish a direct or new and material relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims of personality disorder and PTSD, but service connection was granted for dysthymic disorder, hypertension, and low back disability.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and right knee disability were granted. The claim for a compensable evaluation for macular degeneration was denied. The veteran is now service-connected for PTSD with a rating of 50%.

The Board has determined that the veteran's COPD and depression were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's depression with anxiety, effective from June 24, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and panic attacks. The appeal was not about malaria as it pertained to a compensable disability rating for right eye keratitis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's major depression was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is unrelated to a service-connected disability. The issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of nasal fracture remains unresolved.