Depression decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a non-VA facility due to failure to meet the criteria under VA regulations, specifically regarding emergency services and service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to uncertainty regarding whether the appellant's current psychiatric disorders are service-related.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with VCAA notice regarding her PTSD claim based on personal assault.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The other issues have been dismissed as the veteran withdrew his appeals.

The Board found the June 2004 VA examination report, along with subsequent outpatient treatment records, to be most probative in determining that the veteran's major depressive disorder is currently manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as continued sleep disturbances, suicidal ideation, anxiety, flashbacks, irritability, impaired impulse control, and social isolation. The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's chronic lumbrosacral strain myostitis, major depression, diabetes mellitus type II (DM), status post left wrist fracture, status post right wrist facture, and left knee osteoarthritis prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied service connection for depression as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service disease. Service connection for hypertension was granted based on direct service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for PTSD, but denied service connection on the merits. The claim for major depressive disorder was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including urinary frequency, cold sores (herpes simplex), a depressive disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. The effective date of the increased rating for the cervical spine disability is set at April 24, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's depression is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches, and whether the service-connected headache disorder permanently aggravates or worsens the diagnosed depressive disorder.

The veteran's PTSD with depression is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found that the veteran's depression is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's respiratory disabilities to include asthma and depression were not incurred or aggravated during military service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, bilateral eye conditions (including cataracts and glaucoma), blurred vision of the left eye, concussion, peripheral vestibular disorder, tinnitus, and depression are not related to his military service. The veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities that would allow him to be granted a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and other claimed disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 50 percent for the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability, effective June 22, 2006. The disability is characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions related to his military service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for depression and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking his current conditions to service or a service-connected disability.