Depression decisions — 2014

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, meet the percentage requirements for TDIU as they stem from a common etiology. The Board finds that these conditions render him unemployable.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his anxiety with depression and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have resulted in a combined disability rating of 100 percent. The Veteran is eligible for financial assistance to acquire an automobile or adaptive equipment due to the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing service treatment records and unobtained Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The RO/AMC will also attempt to schedule a hearing for the Veteran at a VA facility closer to her home.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and providing an addendum opinion from the August 2012 VA examiner. The TDIU claim will be referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of an extra-schedular rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability. Additionally, he will be afforded an examination to determine if he has residuals from broken ribs sustained during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is being remanded due to the need for additional personnel records and a VA examination. The examiner will assess whether PTSD began in active service or is otherwise related to a disease or injury during active duty.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a VA addendum opinion to determine the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing VA treatment records. The claims for service connection and rating of bilateral hearing loss are pending.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression and alcohol dependence was initially rated at 10 percent prior to March 17, 2011, and increased to 30 percent effective that date. The Board found the current rating of 30 percent is appropriate for the period from April 22, 2008, forward.

The Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, including major depression, that is related to his period of military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine the diagnoses of any current psychiatric disorders and their relationship to service.

The Board finds that the appellant's currently diagnosed depressive disorder, not otherwise specified (NOS), is traceable to his period of active duty for training and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, left hip disorder, lumbosacral spine disability, and depression. The evidence received since the last denial was not considered sufficient to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining his VA treatment records and determining if extraschedular ratings are warranted for his ankle disabilities. His claim for an initial evaluation higher than 50 percent for major depressive disorder will be deferred pending a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected major depression is not shown to cause occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Board finds that the current rating of 50 percent adequately reflects his disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for depression, but denied the claim as there is no evidence that his current condition began during or was caused by his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA medical records. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary atherosclerotic heart disease has not met the criteria for a higher rating than 30 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Service Disorder (PTSD) based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran, which was not previously considered in a prior denial of his claim.