Depression decisions — 2012

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxiety is found to have started during service and has continued since then, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied as he did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD based on a verified stressor event in service and his symptoms were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's combined evaluation of 80 percent for his service-connected disabilities does not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as they do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and personnel information.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for additional development due to a need for translation of documents and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected major depression and determine if he is unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and major depression, is being remanded due to insufficient examination reports. The examiner must reconcile all diagnoses and determine if any are superimposed on his diagnosed personality disorder or pre-existed service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and a depressive disorder, is being remanded for additional development of his claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder and major depression, was incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 12, 2005, for the award of service connection for PTSD is granted. The effective date will be set at March 28, 1994, based on the evidence showing the Veteran had PTSD as early as this date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bronchitis with bronchiectasis and depressive disorder) have rendered him unemployable, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board found that an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically mood disorder and depressive disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by the Veteran's active duty service, nor is it proximately due to or the result of his service-connected scar of forehead.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a psychiatric examination and consideration of revised 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(3) regulations.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms, including a depressed mood and occasional sleep impairment due to nightmares, have resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. This meets the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, had its onset during service. The claim is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for schizoaffective disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for major depressive disorder, which is considered secondary to service-connected schizoaffective disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient by themselves to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a VA examination and for further development of his claims, including service connection for bipolar disorder and PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression was denied as the evidence did not show a diagnosis of PTSD that met clinical criteria.

The Board has remanded the case to determine whether the Veteran meets the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis and if so, whether his service records demonstrate any changes in behavior that can be clinically interpreted to corroborate the existence of an MST event. The Board will also request an additional examination of the Veteran to determine whether he meets the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis and, if so, whether his service records demonstrate any changes in behavior.