Depression decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that her claimed in-service stressors were not corroborated by evidence and concluding that there was no evidence of a personal assault during active duty.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, low back disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, flatfeet, skin disorder, headaches, nosebleeds, sleep apnea, joint pain, depression with memory loss, sexual dysfunction, and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any incident during service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his service.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating than the current 50 percent assigned, based on his overall functioning and symptomatology.

The Board finds that the veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, identified as major depression, which was incurred by active military service and grants this claim.

The veteran's post-traumatic syndrome with major depression results in occupational and social impairment, but does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete compliance with previous instructions, and the case is now pending further development.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and low back disability were denied. The claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability was granted, with the combined rating now at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's major depressive disorder had its onset during service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, claimed as a nervous condition, PTSD, and depression must be remanded due to the need for further development of evidence.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to address his claims of service connection and increased evaluation for residuals of a head injury, including facial scars. The case will be reviewed by the RO after additional VA examinations are conducted.

The veteran requested to withdraw his appeal, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as a major depressive disorder with psychotic features, is not related to his military service. The other conditions (bronchitis, syphilis, and low back disorder) are also not linked to his service.

The Board has determined that it is necessary to address whether the veteran's appeal was timely filed, specifically regarding his claim for service connection for depression secondary to prostate cancer. The case is being remanded back to the RO for further action.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety/depression, hypertension, spinal cord injury, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome as the evidence did not support a causal relationship to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an examination to determine if there is a relationship between the veteran's in-service problems and current evidence of psychiatric pathology.

The veteran's major depression with anxiety disorder has been granted a 50 percent evaluation, effective April 7, 1997. The limited range of motion in the right wrist and the scar have also been granted increased evaluations.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnoses of depression and memory loss are not related to his service-connected choriomeningitis, which occurred in 1948. The long gap between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis makes it unlikely that these conditions were caused by the 1948 illness.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran was sexually assaulted in service and whether any current psychiatric disorders are related to her military service.