Depression decisions — 2013

The Veteran's PTSD with depression, anxiety, and sleep impairment is currently rated at 70 percent since October 3, 2012. The TDIU issue has been granted prior to September 21, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his other diagnosed psychiatric disabilities are not shown to be etiologically related to service. The claims for right knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, and bilateral leg cramps were withdrawn by the Veteran during a hearing before the Board. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and a mood disorder), right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, and bilateral leg cramps.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA records and scheduling a new examination to determine if the Veteran has any diagnosed psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression. The claim will be readjudicated after this is done.

The Board has ordered a remand for further development and examination to determine the nature of the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including whether it is related to his service events. The case will be returned to the Board for readjudication.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with anxiety and depression was denied by the Board, which remanded the matter due to a request for a video-conference hearing.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further research into the veracity of the Veteran's reported stressors in service. The claim will be reconsidered based on this additional information.

The Board denied service connection for depression as secondary to service-connected chronic hepatitis, finding that the evidence did not support this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear at a scheduled hearing. His request for a new videoconference hearing has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a brain concussion are rated at 40 percent, effective March 7, 2007. The Veteran also has tinnitus which is separately rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the claim for an increased rating was denied. The Board also found that hypertension should not be service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of the Veteran's claims file, including obtaining VA treatment records from 1999 to June 2007 and reviewing these records with a VA examiner.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder and mood disorder. The evidence received since the December 2003 RO denial relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

From November 8, 2006 to September 19, 2011, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent.,For the period from September 20, 2011, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including an attempt to corroborate the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors. The claim will be reconsidered based on all evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim of competency is being remanded for further development due to conflicting evidence on his mental capacity. A new VA examination will be conducted to reassess whether he is competent to handle his financial affairs.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, MDD, and an anxiety disorder, are found to be related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders, including whether they are related to service-connected migraines or PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is manifested by occupational and social impairment, resulting in a 50% disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office for further development and consideration. The issues include seeking a higher disability rating for PTSD with recurrent major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's initial rating of 50 percent for depression has been denied, and the issues of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have also been denied.