Depression decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to missing records that may assist in substantiating the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder and depression. The appellant's period of ACDUTRA is being reviewed for any relevant medical or personnel records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues, and no specific rating or effective date was assigned.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination to address service connection for depressive disorder, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board found no corroborated in-service stressor to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of his claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 8, 2002 for the award of Total Disability Rating based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected depression and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for depression due to an inadequate rationale in a previous VA medical opinion. The Veteran's depression is presumed to have existed prior to service, and there needs to be further clarification on whether it was aggravated during service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) and lung cancer. He is also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent from February 3, 2000. The effective date for TDIU remains prior to December 19, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected right foot plantar fasciitis has been productive of pain, weakness, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue on prolonged standing, walking, and weight bearing throughout the appeal period. The RO granted a 10 percent rating effective November 18, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The issues of service connection for depression, bilateral Achilles tendonitis, and PTSD are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to confirm the Veteran's claimed stressors and provide a VA examination to determine if his current psychiatric disability is related to service.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, and the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions likely preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, bilateral knee and hip disorders, and low back disorder. The reopened claims are now considered together as all acquired psychiatric conditions are included.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective June 22, 2009. The Board finds that the disability has manifested by moderate to severe occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and depression, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional records from SSA and the National Personnel Records Center.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other acquired psychiatric disorder related to his service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and thus service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression, bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's depression has been manifested by symptoms such as depressed mood, difficulty sleeping, and irritability. These symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with depression is currently rated at 50 percent disabling, effective June 26, 2009. The VA examiner found that the condition causes reduced reliability and productivity in terms of occupational and social functioning.