Depression decisions — 2005

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's depression is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected muscle contraction headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, and his right knee disability is rated at 10 percent. The Board has remanded the case for further development.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for depressive disorder is being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further medical evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence of a personal assault during service and concluding that his current psychiatric conditions are not related to any in-service stressor.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for depression, but it is unclear whether this will result in a grant or denial of service connection due to the mixed nature of the issues. The veteran's claims for PTSD and migraine headaches remain pending.

The Board found that the veteran's major depressive disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of death of the veteran. The claim was previously denied as not well-grounded, and no new or additional evidence has been provided.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder with major depression warrants a 70 percent rating, reflecting severe occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and adjudication due to insufficient analysis in the previous decision, including a lack of evaluation of non-service connected disorders under the rating schedule.

The Board found that the veteran's currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders are not related to events in service and denied all claims for service connection.

The veteran's claims have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board finds that the veteran's COPD and depression were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and thus denied his claims.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative disc disease at L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 as secondary to the service-connected lumbosacral strain with lumbar myositis and spondylosis, and major depression as secondary to the service-connected lumbosacral strain with lumbar myositis and spondylosis, residuals of right wrist injury, and acne vulgaris.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease with lumbar myositis, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeals for PTSD and depressive disorder were also denied.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bipolar disorder, claimed as depression. The Board has determined that the issue should be remanded to determine if a relationship exists between his current diagnosis and his period of active duty for training in March 1980.

The veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability (major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder) renders him unable to work, meeting the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a depressive reaction. The Board found no evidence linking the condition to service and concluded that it was not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including depression and dysthymic disorder, were not incurred during military service or within a year of separation. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The veteran's social phobia and panic disorder with agoraphobia, along with secondary reactive depression by history, have resulted in total occupational and social impairment since March 20, 1997. The Board has determined that a 100 percent disability rating is warranted for these conditions.