Depression decisions — 2010

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for further development and readjudication, including a psychiatric evaluation to determine the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and related psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia. The decision also grants entitlement to TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder with anxiety, residuals of rubella, right ankle disability, and left shoulder disability as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development to verify specific in-service stressors and determine the etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, is found to be related to his service, specifically the in-service personal assaults he experienced.

PTSD, depression and alcohol abuse were initially rated at 30 percent prior to August 4, 2009. On or after that date, the Veteran's PTSD, depression and alcohol abuse are now rated at 50 percent.,The Veteran's PTSD, depression and alcohol abuse have not met criteria for a higher rating since August 4, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is service-connected as it is related to his in-service parachute accident.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left shoulder impingement syndrome and depressive disorder, do not render him unemployable. The VA compensation examiner found that the Veteran requires sedentary employment but is capable of obtaining and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability, including depression, is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's unemployability due to his service-connected major depression was not factually ascertainable prior to June 16, 2005 and denied an earlier effective date for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical inquiry into the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder and retrieval of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, is related to his military service. The case will be returned for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant (Veteran) withdrew his request for an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depressive disorder have rendered him unemployable, resulting in a grant of TDIU.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder. The remaining issue of whether he is entitled to service connection for any other acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia, will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, characterized by depression and anxiety, has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The disability is currently rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected depression is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 50 percent is warranted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, depression, diabetic retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The appeal is granted based on presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran is entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The RO must obtain deck logs from the USS Richmond K. Turner and request medical records from Social Security Administration.