Depression decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations. The issue of whether the Veteran is competent to handle disbursement of VA funds remains pending.

The Veteran's depression caused occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity since March 6, 2006. He was granted a higher initial rating of 50 percent for his depression.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and he has an acquired psychiatric disorder that is not due to willful misconduct. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending as the issue of whether new and material evidence was submitted is still under consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's current low back disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and Social Security Administration records. The Veteran must also be provided with VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorders and hypertension.

The Veteran seeks service connection for major depression, which he contends began during his initial period of active duty and was aggravated by his second period of service. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct a new examination.

The Board denied service connection for narcotic addiction as secondary to a service-connected left shoulder disability and found no causal relationship between hyperkeratotic lesions on the plantar surfaces of both feet and service. The Veteran's claims for TDIU were also addressed in the remand portion, but are not included in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the cervical spine, finding that the Veteran's continuity of symptomatology with respect to his cervical spine following service is credible. The claims for depression and headaches are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with an examination and address his claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that his schizophrenia and major depressive disorder did not begin in service or for many years thereafter. The long time lapse between service and any documented evidence of treatment can be considered as evidence of whether an injury or disease was incurred in service which resulted in any chronic or persistent disability.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression.

The Veteran's effective date for a 100% rating for PTSD was granted on March 27, 2007 based on the findings of an August 2007 VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current depression disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, including an incident involving seeing his spouse with another man. The most probative evidence concluded that the Veteran's depression is less likely related to his military service.

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest, with depression as a significant contributing factor. The Board finds that the Veteran's PTSD substantially contributed to his death.

The Veteran's initial rating for depressive disorder, not otherwise specified, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus Type 2 with retinopathy, hypertension, or depression being incurred during service and denied the claims.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected condition, and the evidence did not support his pending claims for PTSD and depression. The appeal is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a depressive disorder, finding that no claim was filed prior to November 9, 2006.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal to the RO for additional action, including obtaining morning reports from a specific Army unit and ensuring that all development is completed in accordance with the remand instructions.

The Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders are not related to his active military service or secondary to, or otherwise aggravated by, his service-connected pterygium. The Board finds that the Veteran's claim for service connection is denied.