Depression decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, mood disorder, major depressive disorder and cognitive disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depression with PTSD symptoms, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his skin disability. Service connection for PTSD will be considered as part of this expanded claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis, depression, and lung disorder due to potential service connection issues related to his in-service use of heroin and exposure to mustard gas/lewisite.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's medical records and clarify certain issues. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder with depression is rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The combined rating of his service-connected disabilities (60%) does not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further procedural development, including scheduling a personal hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's obsessive compulsive disorder with depression has been rated at the highest possible level (100%) since February 16, 2005, due to near total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a psychiatric disorder, low back disorder, or hypertension during service. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is dismissed as the issue has been moot due to the grant of service connection for PTSD, which includes consideration of his depressive symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a mental health examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD, depression, attention deficit disorder, and bipolar disorder, has been adequately compensated by the assigned initial 10 percent rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors were not verified, and thus did not establish service connection for PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder. The respiratory disorder claim was also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any current acquired psychiatric disability had its clinical onset in service or is due to an event of the Veteran's period of active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's diagnoses of adjustment disorder, social anxiety disorder, and depression were incurred in service. Service connection is granted for these conditions. The claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for left knee disability remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, was denied as there is no diagnosed disability of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a seizure disorder and an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, mood disorder, and depression, were denied. The claim for increased rating for the thoracic spine disability was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression and a left shoulder injury are denied due to lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was initially rated at 50 percent prior to September 2, 2003.,Effective from September 2, 2003, the Veteran is entitled to a 70 percent evaluation for his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for major depression, secondary to service-connected residuals of a left wrist fusion.