Depression decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, psychiatric disability (depression), and vertigo are being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include major depression, as there was no evidence of a diagnosis during active duty or ACDUTRA and no competent medical opinion linking the Veteran's depression to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD was granted, while the claims for depression, anxiety, hearing loss, hypertension, sleep disorder, and skin disorder remain pending further development.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for hypertension, a psychiatric disability, and back disability. The claims for degenerative arthritis of the right hip and total left hip replacement were reopened but ultimately denied on the merits.

The appellant's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent, and a major depressive disorder with agoraphobia is service-connected.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including verification of an alleged in-service stressor and a possible VA psychiatric examination.

The veteran is entitled to a 10 percent rating for his left testicle spermatocele, but not for erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right knee disability were denied. The Board also remanded the issues related to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left knee disability, and major depressive disorder.

The claims for service connection for memory loss, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbance as due to an undiagnosed illness were denied. However, new and material evidence was found to reopen the claims for gastrointestinal and menstrual disorders, respiratory disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Board remands the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's major depression was aggravated by his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, as well as major depressive disorder, all secondary to service-connected cold injury residuals.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to the lack of credible evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressor and no competent medical evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to active service.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer to the VA Under Secretary for Benefits for further consideration, as he is a radiation-exposed veteran and his condition may be related to inservice exposure.

The Veteran's depressive disorder with anxiety and substance abuse is not manifested by occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); or the inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.

The appeal is remanded to further develop the evidence related to the Veteran's claimed stressors, including those involving sexual trauma and combat experiences.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, to include major depressive disorder, was not related to his service or his service-connected lower back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment, and therefore a total rating based on individual employability due to service-connected disability is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, acid reflux disease, sinusitis with chronic rhinitis, bilateral hearing loss, occipital neuralgia, and tinnitus were denied. However, the claim for chronic headaches was granted.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for any psychiatric disability, and the Board dismissed the appeal.