Depression decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and grants this claim.

The Board found that the veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not related to his service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including a left shoulder disability, tinea pedis, and other musculoskeletal issues. Service connection is not granted as the evidence does not show these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of additional evidence.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA appeal records and VA treatment records.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions, including paranoid schizophrenia and depression, were not related to his military service. The claims for PTSD, alcohol and drug abuse, hepatitis C, and hypertension were also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's depression warrants a rating of 70 percent prior to February 11, 2008.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for depression with pain and adjustment disorder, as well as service connection for a right arm disability on a secondary basis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for depression, erectile dysfunction, and retinopathy as secondary to his diabetes mellitus. The effective date of service connection for diabetes mellitus was established as July 14, 1993. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to service. The veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for depressive disorder, and it is granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for gastroenteritis was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability following service. The claims for service connection for psychiatric disabilities and a sleep disorder are pending, with the need for further examination to determine their relationship to military service.

The Board denied service connection for a major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, finding that the evidence did not support these claims.

The Board finds that the veteran developed a psychiatric disability, diagnosed as chronic dysthymic disorder and major depressive disorder, during her military service. The appeal is granted.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The veteran's service connection claim for psychiatric disability, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, was granted due to the established link between his combat experiences in Iraq and his current conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a pre-existing psychiatric condition during service and concluded that the veteran's current psychiatric disability is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for service connection, and thus the claims are denied.

The Board determined that the veteran's service-connected depression did not contribute to his death due to coronary artery disease, and thus denied service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and cannabis dependence is currently rated at 70 percent, which grants the maximum disability rating for these conditions. The appeal was granted as per the initial decision.