Depression decisions — 2014

The Veteran's major depression is currently rated at 50 percent, effective from March 16, 2009. The rating reflects significant impairment in social and occupational functioning.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. However, the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and there is no credible evidence supporting his claimed stressors. Therefore, service connection cannot be established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for further verification of his reported stressor and additional examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back strain is related to her active duty service and grants service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, remains pending as the claimant's diagnosis does not meet the criteria for PTSD under DSM-IV but instead diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Service connection for a cervical spine disability is also pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and finds that new evidence received since the April 2010 rating decision is sufficient to reopen the claim. The Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depression are related to her in-service rapes.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for major depressive disorder is being remanded due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding when the condition may have manifested prior to February 13, 2009.

The Board found that the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and bipolar disorder with anxiety, were not incurred or aggravated by his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in 1987. The examiner diagnosed antisocial personality disorder and pedophilia, which are related to the appellant's reported history of engaging in sexual acts with minors during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder and depression have been granted a disability rating of 70 percent since May 31, 2006. She has also been granted TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not indicate a causal relationship between his current psychiatric disability and his service or any in-service event.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are not of such severity to preclude substantially gainful employment prior to August 6, 2010.

The Veteran's cause of death, aspiration due to progressive supranuclear palsy, was found to be caused by his service-connected right foot amputation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder with major depressive disorder is related to service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and a cognitive disorder, has been found to be productive of total occupational and social impairment. As such, she is granted a 100% schedular rating for her service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for cervical dysphasia was dismissed. The Board granted service connection for depression and/or dysthymic disorder as secondary to her service-connected bronchial asthma.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent prior to March 2, 2012. Effective from March 2, 2012, the rating for PTSD has been increased to 50 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her claims, including obtaining records from the VA Vocational Rehabilitation program and updated employment information.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD. A VA examination is needed to determine if the claimed stressors are related to his fear of hostile military or terrorist activity and whether any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are linked to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to include verification of claimed stressors events in service and expansion of the claim to include all currently shown psychiatric diagnoses. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination if any of the three stressor events are verified.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their request for a hearing and indicated that their issues have been resolved.