Depression decisions — 2007

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to February 13, 2002 for the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder with gender identity disorder is being remanded due to issues related to CUE in previous rating decisions and other procedural matters.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the Los Angeles, California RO. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with limitation of motion of the lumbar spine, entitlement to service connection for depression, entitlement to service connection for PTSD, and entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II are pending.

The VA has determined that the veteran's mood disorder with depression, due to head trauma (formerly rated as depressive disorder secondary to traumatic brain injury, bereavement) does not warrant a disability rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board denied service connection for depression, degenerative changes of the right knee, and chondromalacia patella of the left knee. The veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service or a service-connected condition.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder/major depressive disorder, bilateral hearing loss, muscle injury to the left thigh, and tinnitus, do not render him unemployable.

The veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature, etiology, and onset date of any current psychiatric disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to clarify his psychiatric disabilities and their etiology.

The veteran is entitled to reimbursement for unauthorized private medical expenses incurred on May 7, 2004 due to an emergency psychiatric episode related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD and his depression is secondary to a non-service-connected condition (sleep apnea). The veteran's headaches are also not service connected.,Service connection for PTSD, depression, and headaches cannot be established as they are not related to military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a review by an appropriate examiner regarding whether the veteran's depression is related to any incident of military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's major depressive disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not shown to be causally related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for major depressive disorder is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and chronic back disability, as well as his requests for increased ratings for GERD and headaches. The appeals were not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining information about claimed stressors and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case back to the RO for obtaining Social Security Administration records and readjudicating the claim on appeal.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an initial rating higher than 70 percent for major depressive disorder. The right arm tendonitis claim was granted with a 10% rating effective January 30, 2003, but the left forearm disability remains at a 50% rating.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine, Radiculopathy of the Left Shoulder/Arm, Headaches, Hypertension, and Corneal Abrasion of the Right Eye) meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined 80% disability rating.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a service connection for PTSD with depression, generalized anxiety and panic attacks due to lack of credible supporting evidence of the stressors.

The Board found that the veteran's current heart disorder is not related to active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia with depression, finding that there was no medical evidence linking his current psychiatric condition to his military service.