Depression decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for service-connected major depressive disorder was denied as the evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial or stereotyped speech, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impairment of short and long-term memory, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, or difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships.

The Board denied reopening the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia. The evidence received since the previous denial is not new and material.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide the Veteran with a Statement of the Case regarding his claim for attorney fees from past-due benefits based on the June 20, 2008 rating decision that granted service connection for dysthymia (claimed as depression) secondary to residuals of left ankle fracture.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disability and determined that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, resulting in a TDIU rating.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a low back condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression). The loss of sense of taste and smell are also claimed as secondary to his service-connected mandible fracture residuals or due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.,The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression. His claim is based on his combat experience in Vietnam.,The Veteran claims a loss of sense of taste and smell that he believes is related to his service-connected right ramus and mandible fracture or due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD and substance abuse.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The claims of service connection for migraine headaches, major depressive disorder, degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with musculoskeletal strain of the lumbosacral spine, and musculoskeletal strain of the cervical spine with degenerative changes are still pending.

The Veteran's MDD was rated at 50 percent prior to October 18, 2010. From October 18, 2010 through March 4, 2013, the rating was reduced to 30 percent and then increased back to 50 percent effective March 5, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's service connection claims, including obtaining his service personnel records and arranging for a VA examination of his claimed migraines.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected conditions. The issues on appeal include increased evaluations for PTSD, MDD, cervical spine DDD, and erosive reflux esophagitis; entitlement to TDIU; and service connection for constipation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and consideration of his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, specifically depression disorder. The case will be returned to the Board after additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, but further development is needed to determine his employment status and the impact of these conditions on his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and a psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including mood disorder, schizophrenia, depression, paranoid disorder, psychotic disorder, anxiety, and major depressive disorder, have not been shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied. The Board found that his major depressive disorder and paranoid schizophrenia are service-connected, but did not find any link between his current lung or respiratory disorder and his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no medical evidence or opinion to support the claim of service connection for anxiety disorder as secondary to service-connected genitourinary disabilities. The Veteran's anxiety disorder was diagnosed but not linked to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including major depression, bipolar disorder, and a mood disorder, is related to his service, specifically witnessing a fellow soldier die from drug overdose in July 1973. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and an evaluation of whether he is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, severe, recurrent with psychotic features, is proximately due to his service-connected disabilities including Schmorl's nodes of the spine, residuals of a right femur fracture, right knee arthrosis, and residuals of a left ankle fracture. Therefore, service connection for major depressive disorder has been granted.