Depression decisions — 2013

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, including hypertension (HTN), kidney condition, liver disease, depressive disorder, and erectile dysfunction are denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during active duty or within one year thereafter, and they have not been linked to his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further medical examination. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, are being evaluated in light of his service allegations of personal assaults.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain missing service treatment records, including those from the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System and other facilities where the Veteran received in-service care. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD as there is no credible stressor event documented in the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for assignment of a schedular TDIU rating, and his employment is not unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran is shown to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities effective from August 17, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to ensure that he is accorded full compliance with the statutory duty to assist. The case must be readjudicated after obtaining all necessary information and evidence, including recent treatment records from the Baltimore VAMC.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of a chronic condition having causal origins in active service. The Veteran's claim was remanded multiple times but ultimately denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA psychiatric examination and consideration of whether new evidence supports reopening the claim.

The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are currently evaluated at a 70 percent rating, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to determine the nature of his low back disability and its relationship to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD. The Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was found to cause occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, warranting a 30 percent evaluation prior to August 3, 2010.,For the period beginning August 3, 2010, the Veteran's major depressive disorder caused reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's recurrent major depression and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified are related to her active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran was found to be totally and permanently disabled due to service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and prostate cancer residuals, since at least September 2000. The effective date for the TDIU rating cannot be earlier than August 20, 2008 as it occurred more than one year prior to this date.

The Board denied service connection for a sleep disorder and back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his service-connected major depressive disorder. The Board also found no evidence of a chronic back disability in service or within one year thereafter.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for PTSD, but found no evidence of a current acquired psychiatric disability related to service. The Veteran's claims were denied.