Depression decisions — 2008

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbar myositis with L2 and L3 vertebral bodies irregularities, minimal posterior concentric bulging discs L2-3 and L4-5, mild depression of L2-3 superior endplates towards the right, mild degenerative changes does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The case is REMANDED to the RO for further development and readjudication.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The claim for a higher initial rating and earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for low back disability was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to locate records of a specific incident during training that may have caused the veteran's current mental disorder.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with depressive disorder and denied service connection for a left testicle condition. The veteran's appeal is pending before the Court, which has remanded these matters to the Board.

The Board found that the veteran did not meet the DSM-V criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, and thus denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD due to military service and a diagnosis of PTSD based on an inservice stressor is not shown.,A current psychiatric disability, diagnosed as bipolar disorder, depression, dysthymic disorder, and personality disorder, not otherwise specified, was not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the VA Regional Office (RO) must obtain missing service treatment records and provide the veteran with proper notification regarding his opportunity to submit alternative sources of such records. The case is REMANDED for these actions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice regarding new and material evidence claims, as well as other procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including an ear condition and bilateral hearing loss, have been withdrawn. The remaining issues are denied due to lack of evidence supporting the claims.

The Board has determined that the evidence of record is credible to corroborate the veteran's account of his in-service stressor incident, and raises at least a reasonable doubt that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred. Coupled with the medical evidence and resolving all such doubts in the veteran's favor, as required by law, the grant of service connection for chronic depression and PTSD is warranted.

The Board finds that the veteran's skin rash with cysts did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking it to his active duty. The claim for service connection for a bowel disorder (including irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease) has been referred back to the RO due to lack of available VA treatment records from 1992-1993.

The Board denied service connection for joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue disorder, and depression and memory loss due to undiagnosed illness. The evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the veteran's period of active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no evidence of a psychosis within one year after discharge from service and no medical evidence linking his current diagnoses to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, other than PTSD, were not incurred or aggravated during service and are not otherwise related to his military service. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability (other than PTSD) is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder with depression and anxiety is being remanded due to the failure to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's major depressive disorder is related to his service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional information about the veteran's claimed stressors and providing a VA examination to assess whether his current mental health conditions are related to service.