Depression decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for colon cancer, hypertension, or depression due to herbicide exposure. However, the Veteran's depressive disorder was incurred in active service.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy as secondary to diabetes mellitus and denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder. The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his in-service personality disorder and whether any acquired psychiatric disability is a result of service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depression is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his time in service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, and his irritable bowel syndrome warrants a noncompensable rating. The combined effective date for these ratings is not specified as the decision pertains to an ongoing claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining information about claimed stressors and conducting VA examinations to clarify diagnoses and assess etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim encompasses all of his current acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. The case is REMANDED to obtain additional information that may corroborate the Veteran's claimed stressors and to schedule a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of all current psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin rashes, aches and joint pain, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fatigue, numbness of fingertips, and migraines. However, the criteria for service connection have not been met for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and major depression was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service occurrence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and their relationship to service, including verifying in-service stressors for PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's personality disorders are not recognized as a disability for VA compensation purposes and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's medical condition was emergent at the time he sought private medical attention, and that VA treatment was not feasibly available to him. Therefore, the Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on August 23, 2008, is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cardiovascular and psychiatric disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of credible evidence verifying an in-service assault that caused her PTSD.

The Veteran's current diagnosed psychiatric disorders were not present during military service or are causally related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's experiences in service likely precipitated his schizophrenia, which is now diagnosed. Therefore, the claim for service connection for schizophrenia is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining service treatment records and verifying a reported in-service stressor involving a female medic named 'Lopaz' who was killed by Iraqi soldiers in March 1991.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including a VA psychiatric examination to determine the current nature and etiology of any psychiatric disability, with particular attention to whether PTSD is related to service. The Veteran's depressive disorder will also be considered in this context.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including paranoid schizophrenia and PTSD, finding that there was no evidence linking his current diagnoses to his active duty service.