Depression decisions — 2013

The Veteran's current psychiatric disability, including depression, stress disorder, and mood disorder, is found to be secondary to his service-connected hypertensive vascular disease with stage I kidney disease.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, sleep apnea, and skin disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and PTSD), pancreatitis, and diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and a heart condition have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury that would support these conditions. The Board finds the presumption of herbicide exposure does not apply to this case.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for recurrent major depressive disorder was denied. The initial evaluation prior to November 5, 2011 is not in excess of 30 percent and the evaluation since that date is not in excess of 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's major depression is not service-connected as it does not meet the criteria for service connection under direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of his acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional development. This includes obtaining a new VA examination to determine if the current psychiatric conditions are related to service, particularly the alleged rape in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is related to a service-connected disability, and the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA clinical records and scheduling an examination to assess the severity of his PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not provide credible evidence of a personal assault in service and thus could not establish a stressor. The diagnosis of current psychiatric disorders was post-service.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to her reported sexual assaults during service, and the Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise that the Veteran's PTSD is related to her active duty service. As such, the claim for service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran was not unemployable prior to February 24, 2003 due to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date for a TDIU is therefore denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has effectively rendered him unable to work since he filed his current claim for VA benefits, resulting in total social and occupational impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, as well as sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability, and the Board found that none of his claimed conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's depression, tinnitus, and hearing loss are all found to be related to his military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of depression, finding that it was not secondary to his service-connected seizure disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and panic disorder, are related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with various psychiatric conditions including PTSD, Organic Psychotic Disorder, Vascular Dementia, and Depression. The Board finds that these diagnoses are related to his service due to combat exposure, and thus grants service connection for a variety of psychiatric disabilities.