Depression decisions — 2010

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder with a history of depression is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, but the evidence does not show that it causes total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has ordered a remand for further development, including verification of claimed stressors and clarification of psychiatric diagnoses. The Veteran's PTSD claim will be evaluated based on the new evidence submitted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining all relevant medical records and personnel file. The Veteran's claims will be readjudicated based on the new evidence.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an increased disability rating, finding that her psychiatric disorder did not warrant a higher rating than 30 percent. The effective date of April 11, 2001, was assigned as the earliest date on which she sought treatment for her service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are related to his military service. The claim for glaucoma is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a psychological examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, was incurred during active service or as a result of events in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim should be recharacterized as seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. A new examination is needed to determine if any of these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, previously diagnosed as posttraumatic stress disorder, have been rated at 70 percent since March 20, 2007.

The Veteran died in his home due to acute intoxication with heroin. He was not service-connected for any disability at the time of his death, and he did not meet the criteria for burial benefits as per VA regulations.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD and denied service connection for both PTSD and MDD. The Veteran's symptoms were considered to be consistent with major depressive disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depression originated in service and is related to his duties as a corpsman, thus granting service connection for depression.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is related to service and grants the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected major depression with anxiety disorder, NOS is currently rated at 50 percent disabling from December 1, 2004. The disability manifests as reduced reliability and productivity due to impaired judgment and disturbances of motivation and mood.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder has been granted a 100 percent rating, effective from the date of this decision. The TDIU claim is also remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current low back disability is related to service.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is due to or aggravated by active service as well as his service-connected diabetes mellitus Type II. The Veteran has also been diagnosed with PTSD, and a VA examination is necessary to determine if this condition is related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a major depressive disorder in December 2007. The new evidence submitted since then does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.