Depression decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new psychiatric examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's diagnosed major depressive disorder is related to service, including whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board found no evidence of current sleep apnea or depressive disorder related to service and denied both claims.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD that is based on verified stressors, and therefore service connection for PTSD cannot be granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current depression is associated with his active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and arranging for a VA psychiatrist to provide an opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and ensuring all identified private providers have provided authorization for release of medical information.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess his employability and impact of all disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and adjustment disorder with anxiety, is being remanded due to the need for additional development. The case will be reviewed after obtaining all relevant medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD, MDD, and panic disorder symptoms have been rated at 70 percent since February 24, 2006 to March 19, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been presented to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, both lower extremities. The claim was granted based on the presence of current disability (peripheral neuropathy) and a demonstration of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, B, drug abuse, and depression due to a lack of timely filing of a notice of disagreement.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and clarifying whether the Veteran's depression is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's account of her in-service sexual assault is credible. The Board also found that a major depressive disorder is causally related to service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hepatitis C and its related symptoms. The evidence submitted since the April 2002 rating decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with recurrent depressive disorder does not result in the required level of occupational and social impairment to warrant a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) are not service-connected.

The Veteran's depression has been rated at 50 percent since January 22, 2009. The rating is granted as the disability meets the criteria for a 50 percent evaluation based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, hypothyroidism, hearing loss, tinnitus, a psychiatric disorder (major depression with polysubstance abuse, in remission), and residuals of low back trauma. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence presented.