Depression decisions — 2006

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and medical opinions regarding the veteran's psychiatric disorder(s). The appeal is not granted as service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's diagnosed anxiety disorder is not related to his military service and denied service connection for this condition. The issue of increased evaluation for psychophysiologic musculoskeletal disorder (manifested by headaches) remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's disease and depression, finding that both conditions were incurred during active service. The eye disease claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has expanded the issue to include depression and is remanding the case for further development, including verification of a specific stressor during military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that his current assertion of having started drinking during service due to depression is not credible and that there is no evidence linking his diagnosed depression or dysthymia to military service.

The VA Board has determined that the veteran's major depression does not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 50 percent, as it does not demonstrate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying stressors. The veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the newly obtained evidence.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% disabling, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The VA has not yet determined whether he should be granted a higher evaluation for his service-connected shrapnel wound to the right arm or compensation for his bilateral hearing loss prior to June 29, 2005.

The Board has determined that the veteran's depressive disorder is not related to service or his service-connected respiratory disorder, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a psychiatric examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for reduced lung capacity, residuals of anaphylactic shock as a result of bee sting in service, and depressive disorder secondary to respiratory condition. The Board found no current disability for which service connection could be granted.

The Board found that the veteran's genitourinary disorder manifested by sterility was not incurred or aggravated in service. The claims for depression and PTSD were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for depression as secondary to the service-connected lower back disability and assigned a 50 percent evaluation effective November 30, 1992. The veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent prior to April 21, 1995 and greater than 10 percent beginning that date.

The veteran's PTSD symptoms have been severe and prevented substantially gainful employment since January 1, 1996. The Board has granted a 100 percent schedular evaluation for PTSD retroactive to that date.

The veteran's heterotopic ossification and resultant secondary disabilities were caused by VA's negligence in providing proper care, resulting in irreversible worsening of his initial spinal cord injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed major depression did not begin during service or within one year of separation, and thus cannot be service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for depression secondary to the veteran's service-connected nephrolithiasis and has also granted a temporary total rating for convalescence after the removal of his left urethral stent in April 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for effective dates prior to August 20, 2001 and October 15, 1998 for grants of service connection for a mood disorder with anxiety and depression, right knee patellofemoral subluxation syndrome, patellar tendonitis, and right knee DJD. The RO must consider whether the veteran filed a timely Substantive Appeal in these claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, depressive disorder (not otherwise specified), rashes, fatigue, and abdominal pain have been granted as manifestations of undiagnosed illness. The veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions on a direct basis.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, and his TDIU claim is granted.