Depression decisions — 2008

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right wrist disability was granted, effective September 1, 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an effective date earlier than July 1, 2001 for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder as without legal merit.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, depression, HIV infection, Hepatitis B and C, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The reasons were that there was no diagnosis of PTSD or other conditions in service, no credible evidence supporting claimed stressors, and no medical nexus between current disabilities and military service.

The Board finds that the veteran's right ear hearing loss is of sufficient severity to qualify as a disability under VA regulations and was incurred in service. The benefit of doubt has been resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current depression to service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted by the veteran does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating her claim for service connection for depression, and thus the claim to reopen is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression, is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's GAD and depressive disorder were productive of mild to moderate symptoms prior to November 8, 2007. As of that date, his symptoms worsened significantly, warranting a higher disability rating.

The veteran's initial rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder/post-traumatic stress disorder was granted at a 30 percent disability evaluation, and an additional 20 percent rating was assigned for his thoracolumbar spine condition. The right knee and lower extremity disabilities were each rated at 10 percent initially.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran's depressive disorder had its onset during or within one year of his discharge from service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical nexus opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA clinical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran's anxiety and depression are related to his service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and further examination, including psychiatric records from private physicians and VA treatment records. The veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder is pending.

The Board has ordered the case back to the RO/AMC for further development and adjudication due to incomplete examination results from May 2008. The veteran's service connection claims for PTSD and major depressive disorder are being remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bipolar disorder is attributable to her active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and to obtain all outstanding VA medical records. The claims for service connection for PTSD and depression are being remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran's depression is proximately due to his service-connected skin conditions, and thus grants service connection for depression.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression and anxiety, headaches, residuals of infarction of the left cerebellum (including facial numbness and facial paresthesia), and irritable bowel syndrome.,An initial evaluation of 30 percent for headaches is granted effective June 29, 2005.

The veteran's depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the RO has denied his claim for a higher rating. The TDIU claim was also denied as the evidence does not show that his service-connected disabilities are so severe as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's major depressive disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.