Depression decisions — 2013

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including dysthymic disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety with psychotic features, was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, was not incurred in or caused by his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various psychiatric disorders. The Board has remanded the case to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for an appropriate examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to his military service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was rated at 70 percent effective from May 20, 2009. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for chronic residuals of a left shoulder injury was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure of the Veteran to report for a VA examination and failure to respond to records requests sent to his current address. The case is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and affective disorder is being remanded due to the need for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional VA treatment records. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with his increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to concerns about the reliability of a previous VA examination and the need to address whether the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are related to his service, including fear of hostile military activity.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including panic disorder without agoraphobia, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, are found to be related to his military service. The Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance was granted. The Board found that the Veteran is entitled to a clothing allowance for 2011 due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. Service connection and increased ratings were denied for left elbow disability, acquired psychiatric disability (other than major depressive disorder), hypertension, tinnitus, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically major depression, due to incomplete records and inability to obtain an examination.

The Board found that the Veteran is not competent to manage her own funds without limitation due to her psychiatric disabilities, which require frequent hospitalizations and poor judgment.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD with paranoid schizophrenia, to include depression.

The Board found that the Veteran's fall in his home was not caused by VA treatment, and concluded that there was no negligence or fault on the part of VA. The causation for the fall is attributed to the Veteran slipping on steps.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depression and anxiety, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The evidence submitted since the last denial relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, concluding that it is not related to his military service. The depression and pain disorder claims were granted.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence received since the previous denial.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and medical records associated with any SSA determination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for DJD of the lumbar spine and major depression will be reconsidered.