Depression decisions — 2012

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability related to service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered together, meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for a back condition and depression.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. However, there is no current diagnosis of a back condition or depression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information regarding his in-service stressors and to ensure all relevant records are associated with the claims file. The case will be reviewed by the RO/AMC on the basis of this additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development including obtaining VA treatment records, verifying in-service stressors, and providing a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of any psychiatric disability found to be present.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including systemic lupus erythematous with rash and major depressive disorder, are found to be of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment. The Board grants the TDIU.

The Board found no evidence of a current psychiatric disability other than PTSD and denied service connection for depression, concluding that the Veteran's conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with depression, finding that the Veteran's stressors are consistent with his service and credible testimony regarding them. The diagnoses of PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder have been linked to these stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide a copy of the claims file in time for the Veteran's scheduled hearing, and a rescheduled videoconference hearing is requested.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging a VA examination to address the Veteran's claims for PTSD and major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain his service treatment records and conduct VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed seizure disorder and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating. The left calf GSW residuals are rated at 10 percent.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The new evidence submitted includes opinions from Dr. C.B., who opines that the Veteran's current mental health conditions are related to his in-service boxing injury, while Dr. K.B.'s earlier opinion suggested pre-existing psychological issues. A VA examination is needed to determine if any pre-existing conditions were clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The decision is based on the direct relationship between her reported in-service stressors and her current diagnoses of PTSD and other mental health conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent from October 2, 2008. The effective date for this rating is set as October 2, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, to include depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and cannot be presumed due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claim is denied.

The Board denied service connection for depressive disorder, finding that the evidence did not establish a link between the condition and military service.

The Board is remanding the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, PTSD and anxiety, to allow further development. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and anxiety are pending as they require additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA outpatient records and scheduling the appellant for a VA psychiatric and audiology examination.