Depression decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and/or major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depressive disorder is proximately due to his service-connected PTSD, and his chronic skin disorder (pruritus/acne and tinea pedis) and gastrointestinal disorder are not related to active service or an undiagnosed illness due to Gulf War service.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which reflects total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. The Veteran's major depressive disorder is considered secondary to his PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA examinations and medical opinions regarding his respiratory disability and PTSD with major depressive disorder. The TDIU claim will also be considered in conjunction with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and dysthymia, has been rated at 30 percent since April 23, 2008. The VA Board has determined that the evidence supports a higher rating of 70 percent for this condition, effective from the date of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder had its onset in service and is related to his military service, granting him service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder. The decision will be reconsidered in light of new evidence provided by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The claims will be reconsidered based on new information.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of anxiety and depressive disorders are related to his military service along the Korean DMZ, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence is against finding a connection between the service-connected diabetes mellitus and the claimed psychiatric disability, including depression.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the acquired psychiatric disorder other than anxiety and depression was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by service. A skin disorder was not shown to be causally related to any disease, injury, or incident in service, to include treatment for a skin condition. The right foot disorder was also not shown to be causally related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder. The decision is based on new evidence that reopened her previously denied claims.

The Board has ordered additional development to be completed, including obtaining service treatment records from the Army National Guard of Virginia and medical records from the Veteran's private psychologist. The VA examiner will also review the expanded record and provide a supplemental report on whether it is at least as likely as not that currently shown psychiatric disability can be attributed to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach disorder (GERD) and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence received since the final denial in June 2004 does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his claims.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder with alcohol abuse, below the knee amputation of the left leg, degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, and left hip tendonitis, have rendered him unemployable. The vocational goal of becoming a lawyer has been identified as feasible given his educational background and skills.

The Veteran's representative withdrew all pending appeals, including the appeal for a higher disability rating for PTSD with depression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examination reports and SSA records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of his claimed PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder; dissociative disorder; multiple personality disorder; major depressive disorder; depression; and schizoaffective disorder. The examiner will also provide an opinion as to whether these conditions are related to service.