Depression decisions — 2014

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his service-connected right shoulder disability, and he is granted a 40 percent evaluation for his right shoulder contusion with arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete evidence and need for additional examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and mood disorder, as well as bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD is also being reviewed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for recurrent dislocation of the left knee, acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sciatica is granted due to aggravation by service. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sciatica are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, providing the Veteran with another opportunity to present information and/or evidence pertinent to his TDIU claim, and obtaining a medical opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability during the period from March 30, 2009 to February 24, 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be service-connected, as supported by credible evidence of a verified in-service stressor and current symptomatology related to that stressor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disabilities, including Attention Deficit Disorder and Depression, are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chest/cardiac disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets the criteria for compensation purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including providing notice on how to substantiate secondary service connection claims and scheduling a VA examination to address the etiology of his psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for another hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to engage in substantially gainful employment. The TDIU issue will be returned to the RO for issuance of a statement of the case and subsequent appellate review.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original disability ratings for PTSD with major depression and ventral hernia, finding that there was no evidence of improvement warranting a reduction.

The Veteran's depression and Hepatitis C symptoms have been rated at the lowest possible levels, with no higher ratings granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 9, 2009 for the grant of service connection for PTSD and depressive disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression was denied in October 1973 and March 1993. The Board found that the service personnel records obtained in June 2010, which showed the Veteran had numerous behavioral problems during service including going AWOL, constituted relevant official service department records not previously considered when deciding his original claim. Therefore, an effective date of May 4, 1973 is granted for the award of service connection for depression.

The Board has found that additional development is required due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Veteran's lay statements and testimony indicate she experienced personal assault during service, which may be indicative of an in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of foreign service and stressor contentions, a VA psychiatric examination, and readjudication.