Depression decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The arthritis/arthralgia, chronic fatigue, pain and depression, and gastrointestinal disorder claims are dismissed due to the overlap with his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The VA determined that the appellant does not have an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and/or depression, that is related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated at a 50 percent rating, which reflects moderate occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral macular degeneration and major depressive disorder, have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment for the time period since January 31, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records from a Shreveport VA facility. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD and depression were rated at 10 percent prior to November 18, 2011, but increased to 30 percent effective from that date. The rating for left ankle sprain was also increased.

The Board has awarded a 100 percent rating for service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) effective from December 18, 2007. The Veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected CAD.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic PTSD and major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to her inservice rape. The claim of service connection for a chronic toenail disorder is REMANDED.

Your service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been resolved, and you have not appealed the rating decision. The Board is dismissing this issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to military sexual trauma is being remanded for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination and an evaluation of the evidence.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disorder other than Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression. The Board finds that these conditions are not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that while he displayed some PTSD symptoms and had a diagnosis of PTSD in his records, the most persuasive medical opinion established that he does not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD or any other psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that remand is necessary to address issues related to his PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected mood disorder and dysthymia have been granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from March 30, 2007. The Veteran's right and left patellofemoral pain syndrome are rated at 10 percent each.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a psychiatric examination to determine the etiology of his diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and medical opinion reports are inadequate for adjudication purposes, necessitating a remand to obtain new examinations and opinions. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability remain under review.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, not otherwise specified; and panic disorder without agoraphobia were manifested by an occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood from June 21, 2007 to October 9, 2007. From October 10, 2007 to November 27, 2007, the Veteran's psychiatric conditions did not meet criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to exposure to acoustic trauma in service, while his hearing loss does not meet the VA criteria for a disability. His psychiatric symptoms are attributed to alcohol abuse rather than service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression contributed to his death, which is now considered the cause of death. The claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits and DIC pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are moot as a result.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder in March 2005. The Veteran did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year of the decision, so the denial became final.