Depression decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and depression, is related to his time in service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including Major Depressive Disorder and a pain disorder associated with both psychological factors and a general medical condition, are not etiologically related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and depression, which are related to his service in Vietnam. The stressors reported by the Veteran have been found credible.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is rated at 10 percent. The lumbosacral spine disability and headaches are also rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, was incurred during service. Service connection is granted for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA vocational rehabilitation records. The examiner must also provide an opinion regarding whether the service-connected left fifth finger aggravated his carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD with secondary depression is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to separate symptoms attributable to service-connected PTSD from those attributable to nonservice-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection for dysthymic disorder was granted, and he is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral nasal pinquecula may be proximately due to his service-connected dry eyes. His dysthymic disorder has been evaluated as 30 percent disabling since service connection was established. The residuals of his inguinal hernia repair are not compensable under VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder and an adjustment disorder with a depressed mood. The headache disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's vertigo and psychiatric disorder are not related to service, with the preponderance of evidence against a finding that they were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for TDIU requires additional development, including obtaining an updated VA examination to assess his employability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed mood disorders and major depressive disorder are not etiologically related to service, and his claimed PTSD stressor has not been verified. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for depression because his Substantive Appeal was not timely filed within the required time frame.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is due to service, and his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD and/or depression is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected cardiovascular illness, which was aggravated by his service-connected disabilities (including pain from his back and ankle conditions), ultimately leading to an acute myocardial infarction.

The Board has remanded the case for a supplemental medical opinion to clarify whether the Veteran currently fulfills the diagnostic criteria for any acquired psychiatric disability, and if so, whether it is at least as likely as not related to service. The examiner should also address the relationship between the in-service head injury and any post-service diagnosis of a psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA psychiatric examination, and attempting to obtain any outstanding records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and major depressive disorder. The claim for narcolepsy was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer.