Depression decisions — 2013

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been productive of moderate to severe impairment, warranting a 70% disability rating from December 30, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his depression and infraumbilical midline scar, as well as whether he has suffered additional disability due to VA medical treatment.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran's current anxiety disorder is related to his military service, including reviewing deck logs and Captain's Mast proceedings. The claim will be remanded for further review after these documents are obtained.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for further development due to potential SSA disability benefits and a failed VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining treatment records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is related to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's PTSD with associated claustrophobia and major depressive disorder have been established, as well as service connection for recurrent right nasal pterygium. Service connection for onychomycosis has also been granted.

The Veteran's claim for an automobile allowance is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess her service-connected disabilities and their impact on her ability to use her vehicle. The case will be re-adjudicated after this examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was not manifested during his active military service, is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service, and is not shown to have manifested to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year from the date of separation from the military. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is not established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether his condition is related to service, secondary to other conditions, or caused by medication.

The Board has ordered further development due to incomplete records and the need for an updated VA examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining information about in-service stressors and attempting to corroborate whether the Veteran served with a Bill Barker who died during his service. The VA examiner is asked to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to service, particularly given the Veteran's credible fear of hostile military activity and accidental killing of a Vietnamese child.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran's condition was not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current major depressive disorder is related to his active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The claim for multiple sclerosis remains denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis within the presumptive period or a link between the disability and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete development of his Vocational Rehabilitation file, which may contain evidence pertinent to the severity of his major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from August 18, 2004 to February 7, 2005.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision can be reached on the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining verification of service stressors and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar strain, and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to conflicting medical opinions regarding his competency to handle disbursement of funds. The case will be reviewed for further development and due process considerations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, requires further development due to the need for an examination to determine if his current PTSD is related to a specific stressor during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for a urethral stricture and anxiety disorder and depression, not otherwise specified. The claim for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of the condition in service or within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder has been rated at 50 percent since October 4, 2007, effective October 4, 2007 through June 11, 2008.