Depression decisions — 2007

The veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had service-connected disabilities that were rated as totally disabling for a continuous period of at least one year immediately preceding his death. However, the claim is denied because the veteran did not meet the requirement of having been continuously rated totally disabled by VA for 10 years or more immediately preceding his death.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, depression, bilateral hearing loss, left knee injury, prostatitis, and right shoulder fracture were denied on the merits. The claim for a compensable evaluation for service-connected hemorrhoids was not addressed in this decision.

The veteran's sinusitis is currently rated as noncompensable, but the Board finds that a compensable rating of 10% is warranted based on multiple episodes per year with symptoms such as headaches and purulent discharge or crusting.,Guillain-Barre Syndrome was not incurred in service and is not related to any service-connected disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 have been denied due to lack of new and material evidence, and the low back disability claim has also been denied as there is no evidence that it was caused by VA care or treatment.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's depression is due to disease or injury incurred in service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of depression in service or a link to service, and thus denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, depression, and muscular tenderness of unclear etiology results in occupational and social impairment. The RO denied an increased rating for this condition and also denied a TDIU based on the service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, are denied. The medical evidence does not support the presence of chronic disabilities that meet the criteria for service connection under VA regulations.

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

The veteran is seeking service connection for various psychiatric disorders, including bipolar I disorder, acute manic psychosis or bipolar mania disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, obsessive compulsive disorder, and alcoholism. The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical evidence and a VA psychiatric evaluation.

The veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not entitled to service connection for a chronic sleep disorder as it is considered a symptom of his major depression.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral foot pain, right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal reflux disease, erectile dysfunction, chronic sinusitis, lipomatous lesion of the left shoulder, benign prostatic hypertrophy, tinnitus, depressive disorder, and hypertension, have been evaluated. The veteran does not meet the criteria for a combined 100 percent schedular rating under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Therefore, his claim for permanent and total disability rating for VA non-service-connected pension purposes has been denied.

The VA has determined that the veteran's major depressive disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as it does not demonstrate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The veteran's service-connected psychiatric conditions did not result in total occupational and social impairment prior to January 2, 2001.

The Board has reopened the claim for compensation benefits, pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, for headaches based on a head injury claimed to have been sustained during an August 1989 VA cardiac catherization. However, the claim is denied as there is no competent evidence or opinion that indicates the veteran's current headaches were caused by this procedure.

The veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent effective from March 3, 2004. Her low back disorder remains rated at 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The cervical spine condition was rated at 10 percent, left foot pes planus with plantar fasciitis at 10 percent, right foot disability (pes planus with plantar fasciitis) was not found to be related to service, and depression was not shown to have been incurred during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.