Depression decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is attributable to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of the record.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is granted as his current diagnosis of PTSD is the result of disease or injury incurred in active military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including attempting to corroborate the Veteran's reported assault and examining whether any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine her ability to work due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a combined schedular 100 percent evaluation was denied as there has been no adjustment of any evaluation assigned for service connected disabilities prior to October 30, 2006.

The Veteran asserts that he initially manifested a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder during active service. The Board finds that a VA mental disorders examination is necessary to determine the current nature and etiology of all identified chronic acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining his service personnel records and treatment records to verify the stressor incident and to obtain VA examinations for psychiatric disorders, bilateral knee disorder, and right hip disorder.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, is granted as the evidence supports that his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling, but the Board found that his disability picture does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder, psychiatric disorder (including depression and intermittent explosive disorder), right shoulder disorder (including right subscapularis myalgia), memory loss, fatigue, headaches, numbness of the hands and arms, upper gastrointestinal disorders, lower gastrointestinal disorders, hair loss, and unexplained chronic multi-system illness. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded to the RO.

The Veteran meets the requirements for a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes due to his service during a period of war, receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the absence of an annual income in excess of the applicable maximum annual pension rate.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection for major depression and hypertension, both secondary to the service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are supported by medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and need for a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression was rated at 50 percent prior to December 19, 2006 and since then has been rated as 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a psychiatric examination and consideration of revisions in the PTSD service connection regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's nonservice-connected psychiatric disorder is aggravated by her service-connected pes planus, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a psychiatric examination.