Depression decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is granted, effective February 2, 1998. Service connection for depression was granted with a 20% disability rating and an effective date of February 9, 1999.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and major depression, was not caused or aggravated by his excess, post-angioplasty with aortic dissection cardiovascular disability for which he has already received benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board's decision denying service connection for depressive disorder with anxiety, residuals of rubella, a right ankle disability, and residuals of a dislocated left shoulder is vacated due to the Veteran not being afforded a hearing. The case is now remanded for scheduling a travel board hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder are service-connected, with PTSD being linked to his combat experience in service and depressive disorder being related to his frostbite injuries.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for her psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety reaction, bipolar disorder with posttraumatic stress disorder, was denied as the evidence of record did not show entitlement to this rating prior to May 7, 2004.

The Board found that the appellant's PTSD with major depressive disorder has been manifested by symptoms such as flashbacks, daily intrusive thoughts about his duty in Iraq, severe irritability, sleep disturbances, debilitating periods of depression, impairment in concentration and memory, and fatigue. The Board granted an initial 50 percent rating for this disability.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the appellant did not engage in combat with the enemy during service and failed to provide credible supporting evidence of a verified stressor related to his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted, as he has a diagnosis of PTSD due to verified in-service stressors. The claim for service connection for ulcers secondary to PTSD is not addressed and remains pending.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, was incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, even though they do not result in a combined 100 percent schedular evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymic disorder, was granted. The issue of an increased rating for cold induced urticaria is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or TDIU status.

The Board granted service connection for dysthymia (claimed as anxiety and depression) with an effective date of September 11, 2002, which is the date of receipt of the Veteran's formal claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, including anxiety, depression, and panic disorder, has been reopened. Her claim of service connection for PTSD remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran did not timely file a substantive appeal regarding his disagreement with the initial evaluations assigned for service-connected depression, bilateral hearing loss, right knee disorder, and degenerative arthritis of the low back. As such, the appeal was dismissed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities combine to make him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed inservice stressors and to determine if he has any current psychiatric disorders related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, with the exception of a seizure disorder claim which was reopened. The other conditions were not found to be related to service.

The Board found that the objective and probative medical evidence did not support a finding that any currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, was related to the Veteran's period of active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left shoulder disability, hypertension, heart disease, chronic obstructive and restrictive lung disease, major depressive disorder and anxiety, PTSD, and learning disorder. The decision is based on the evidence of record at the time of the April 2003 rating decision.