Depression decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently suffers from an innocently acquired psychiatric disability that had its clinical onset during his period of active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions and their impact on employment.

The VA has granted a 70 percent evaluation for the appellant's depressive disorder with anxious mood, effective December 8, 2009. The previous evaluations were 50 percent from January 24, 2007 to December 8, 2009 and 30 percent prior to that date.

The Board denied service connection for alcohol dependence as it was a result of the Veteran's own willful misconduct. The claim for service connection for all other psychiatric disabilities (including paranoid schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder not otherwise specified, adjustment disorder, borderline personality disorder, and anxiety) was also denied on the merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder with depressed mood, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. However, a VA examiner opined that it is at least as likely as not that the adjustment disorder was aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The decision remains pending due to further clarification needed from the VA examiner.

The Board has granted service connection for pingueculae of the bilateral eyes, a psychiatric disorder (to include MDD), and insomnia as they are found to be related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorder, gynecological disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hyperthyroidism are remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing due to his inability to attend the Central Office hearing.

The Veteran's specific phobia with depression and anxiety was granted an increased rating to 70 percent effective June 16, 2009. The appeal for hypertension and cardiomyopathy is pending.

The Veteran's service connection claim for psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder, was granted. He also received a compensable rating of 10% for his right shoulder osteoarthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA examinations to determine if the Veteran's current low back disability, depression, anxiety, and hypersomnia are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular TDIU rating prior to July 13, 2004, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable and that there was no evidence of frequent hospitalization or marked interference with employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to incomplete evidence and procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnoses of PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are related to his service in Vietnam, including exposure to combat and non-combat stressors. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of PTSD and anxiety disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for several reasons, including obtaining SSA records and issuing a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) on the increased rating claim. The Veteran's claims regarding residuals of electrocution, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include depression and anxiety, and service connection for PTSD are also being addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for depression and PTSD, but found that his claim of diabetes mellitus was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The decision also noted that there is no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current disabilities to his periods of active service.

The Veteran's depression is currently not service-connected, and his hepatitis C continues to be evaluated at a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a verified in-service stressor and insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between current symptoms and service.