Depression decisions — 2011

The Board found that the May 13, 1976 motor vehicle accident was not due to the Veteran's willful misconduct. The claims for service connection were adjudicated and a mixed disposition was reached.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of a diagnosed PTSD. The claims for tinnitus, right knee disability, and lumbar spine disability are also being remanded as the July 2010 VA examination did not provide opinions on their etiology.

The Veteran's mental disorder is characterized as depressive disorder, and he does not fully meet the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD. Service connection was granted for depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to military service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and major depression have been rated appropriately, with no new evidence of increased disability. The TDIU claim is also denied.

The Veteran is granted service connection for major depressive disorder and an initial disability evaluation of 20 percent for myofascial pain syndrome of the neck. The claims for low back, hearing loss, left shoulder, and right knee disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his knee disability, have been denied higher ratings.,Service connection for a psychiatric disorder has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board noted that the lumbar spine strain was rated as 20 percent disabling, right knee disability as 10 percent disabling, and left knee disability as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder was denied. The issue of service connection for Major Depressive Disorder (claimed as a mental condition) is also not granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if any identified psychiatric disorder is etiologically related to service, including considering whether a pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including acne, bilateral foot pain, high cholesterol, hypertension, and a psychiatric disorder have been denied. The claim for service connection for acne was previously denied due to it being a preexisting condition not aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's ADHD was not incurred in service, but his bipolar II disorder with major depressive episodes intermixed with hypomanic episodes has been rated at the highest possible disability rating of 100 percent since April 23, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychological disability, currently claimed as major depressive disorder, is denied. The issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of a right knee injury remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, finding that there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and that his psychiatric disorder is based on misconduct (lifelong drug abuse) with evidence of a personality disorder manifested by antisocial features.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he is currently employed in a part-time capacity and capable of performing sedentary work.

The Veteran's symptoms of PTSD, including memory impairment and hallucinations, do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to his service in Vietnam and grants service connection for this condition. The claim for depression, which was diagnosed during service, also results in a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied as there is no evidence showing that VA medical services were the proximate cause of any additional disability, or that any additional disability actually exists.