Depression decisions — 2008

The Board found that the appellant's major depressive disorder did not develop during his periods of active duty for training and thus denied service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the veteran for purposes of receiving VA death benefits due to a prior valid marriage.

The Board has granted service connection for major depression, anxiety, a sleep disorder, diarrhea, and memory loss as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The other conditions are not found to be related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional information about the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and reviewing his personnel records. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and PTSD, finding that there is no credible evidence to support the occurrence of the claimed stressors during his documented service.

The Board found that the veteran's PTSD is unrelated to the claimed personal assaults in service and his psychiatric disorders were not present during service or manifest within a year of separation from service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for PTSD and acquired psychiatric disorders are denied.

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia, depression, a nervous disability and memory loss. The new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection and rating for depression and headaches are separate from this decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to issues related to service connection and rating of depression and pain disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a higher initial rating of 70 percent, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for depression, finding that it did not manifest during active duty or within close proximity to it and was not related to her service-connected bilateral varicose veins and residuals of a right knee injury.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine the current severity of the service-connected left shoulder scar(s) and consideration of whether an additional 10 percent rating should be assigned under Diagnostic Codes 4.73 or 5304.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder/major depressive disorder, back disorder, and COPD/emphysema as there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service event that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's major depressive disorder is secondary to her service-connected gynecological disorder, specifically chronic salpingitis and pelvic adhesive disease with uterine fibroids. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for depression, glaucoma, and peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymic disorder, which is a mood disorder that the veteran contends was incurred during his military service. The Board found that the evidence supports this claim as the veteran's current dysthymic disorder is related to his in-service psychiatric treatment and stressors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD and associated depression are related to his in-service exposure to combat stressors, including rocket and mortar attacks at Cam Ranh Bay. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, finding no current diagnosis of PTSD and noting that the veteran's depressive disorder did not manifest until many years after separation from service.

The veteran's case is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a hearing before the Decision Review Officer at the Milwaukee Regional Office. The appeal remains about entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate rationale in the previous decision and need for additional evidence.