Depression decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and will be readjudicated after obtaining these records.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The Veteran's claimed stressors were not verified, and his diagnoses are not linked to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including VA examinations and obtaining outstanding treatment records. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, and PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development of her medical records and clarification of her National Guard service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's attorney withdrawing representation and not appearing for a Travel Board hearing. The Veteran may be homeless, so efforts must be made to verify his current address and schedule him for a new hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development including obtaining service treatment records and personnel records, verifying stressors, and scheduling a psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence. The issues of service connection for psychiatric disorders, foot disorder, bilateral knee disorder, stomach disorder, and right arm disorder are all under consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and/or anxiety disorder, is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, panic disorder, schizophrenia with depression, anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder, were incurred during his military service. As a result, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder was denied as there is no legal authority to assign such a date prior to March 28, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, as well as any SSA records. The claims will be adjudicated in light of all pertinent evidence.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for depression and insomnia, which he claims are secondary to his service-connected arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of whether the Veteran's claimed stressor falls within the purview of fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. The appeal will be considered de novo after these actions.

The Veteran's schizophrenia is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for Depression but denied service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's reported in-service stressor is not related to combat and does not involve fear of hostile military action, thus preventing the grant of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic adjustment disorder was initially rated at 10 percent prior to August 11, 2010 and increased to 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the Veteran's family doctor since 2010 and providing an addendum opinion based on these records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder NOS, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claim for secondary service connection for alcohol dependence is also denied as there is no evidence linking it to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for scars was denied as there is no current diagnosis of such. The earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD with mixed depression and anxiety was also denied.,Service connection for scars was not granted due to lack of evidence of a diagnosed condition, while service connection for PTSD was granted based on new evidence received after the initial denial.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for a lumbosacral spine strain and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations.