Depression decisions — 2010

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to missing Social Security Administration (SSA) records and VA medical records.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as the current evaluations for lumbosacral strain, migraine headache disorder, and major depressive disorder with social phobia are deemed adequate.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for VCAA notice and additional evidence regarding his service connection claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability to include PTSD, anxiety and depression.

The Veteran does not have a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression, which had onset during service or is etiologically related to his service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability has been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depression is aggravated by his service-connected erectile dysfunction, and thus grants service connection for depression as secondary to erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder, recurrent, dysthymia has been rated at 30 percent since October 25, 2004. The Board finds that the disability picture more nearly approximates symptoms productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his claim for an increased rating for PTSD and associated disorders was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of chronic disability related to service or a showing of continuity of symptomatology after service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and the issuance of a statement of the case regarding his claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD has been manifested primarily by significant social impairment due to moderate symptoms, and the Board granted a disability rating of 10 percent for PTSD.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature of the Veteran's claimed disabilities and their relationship to service, including whether they are related to undiagnosed illnesses or other causes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings or service connection under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's MDD has been granted a rating of 30 percent, effective February 27, 2006. The VA examiner found that the Veteran had severe disability with deficiencies in most areas including work and family relations, but did not meet criteria for a higher rating due to his symptoms being less severe than previously reported.

The Veteran's depressive disorder was initially rated at 30 percent prior to March 5, 2008. As of that date, the rating was increased to 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and a right shoulder disability, are of such severity that they prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for illiteracy and depression, finding no evidence of a chronic disability that began during or was caused by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and recurrent major depression are both directly related to her military service, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for obsessive-compulsive disorder with depression includes a claim for Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board found no evidence to support the claim that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, characterized as depression/dysthymic disorder, is related to his military service. The earliest documented treatment for such a condition was 19 years after discharge from active duty.