Depression decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and VA treatment records. The appellant's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for a psychiatric examination to determine if any of the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorders were incurred during or aggravated by his active duty service. The examiner must provide an opinion regarding whether PTSD is at least as likely as not related to in-service stressors.

The appellant's major depressive disorder with paranoid features is manifested by occupational and social impairment, resulting in a disability rating of 70 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for consideration of a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a), as the combined rating of his service-connected disorders is 40 percent, effective from January 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and therefore, service connection is denied. The Veteran's depressive disorder was also found to be unrelated to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need to verify stressors associated with his claims. The RO must request additional information from the Veteran regarding specific incidents that may have contributed to his current conditions, such as a friend committing suicide by jumping overboard during service or frequent incoming enemy fire on his ship.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective prior to December 1, 2006. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective relationships.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical opinions regarding his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records from the VA Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina and requesting Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The Veteran's claim for TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, adjustment disorder, and mood disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development, specifically a new VA examination to determine the etiology of all diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his depression did not begin during active service and thus could not be considered service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for benign prostatic hypertrophy with urinary tract infection and erectile dysfunction, depressive disorder, and degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine at L4-L5 were granted effective February 2, 2005. The appeals for higher initial ratings are addressed in a separate section.

The Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The evidence supports a link between these conditions and military service, specifically exposure to Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, arthritis, depression, and COPD as there is no evidence of any such conditions during or within one year after his military service. The Veteran's current symptoms are not related to his active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his Vocational Rehabilitation folder and a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

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 evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, not otherwise specified, with symptoms of a sleep disorder and fatigue as being due to or the result of service-connected Crohn's disease/irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board has determined that there is a need to verify the Veteran's periods of service and obtain additional records, including mental health clinic records. A new VA examination is also required to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to her military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.