Depression decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD and his acquired psychiatric disorder, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), was not evident during service or until many years thereafter. The Board concluded that there is no evidence to support a finding that the MDD is related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected conditions, including deep venous thrombosis and depression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims will be readjudicated after the additional development.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of depression, but denied it. The Veteran's claims for PTSD and eating disorder are pending as new evidence was submitted to reopen the depression claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claim can be decided on its merits, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's major depression is currently rated at 20 percent, effective November 10, 2008. The RO considered the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.310 and granted service connection for major depression on the basis that it was aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. Service connection is established for depressive disorder. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service connected.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression. The Veteran's depression is found to be of service onset or secondary to a service-connected disability and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected PTSD and depression, which are rated at 70 percent combined.

The Veteran's current psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder, is linked to an in-service personal assault for which there is credible supporting evidence.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, insomnia, and anxiety have been granted service connection as they are manifestations of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining verification of alleged combat stressors and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities are related to his service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a vocational rehabilitation examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is related to an in-service personal assault and harassment during basic training.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his currently diagnosed major depressive disorder and previously diagnosed bipolar disorder. The case will be re-adjudicated after this is done.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to verify his claimed in-service stressors and for a new VA examination to address the etiology of his diagnosed psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, secondary to back pain is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected low back and left shoulder disabilities, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran is seeking to have the February 2002 rating decision that assigned a 30 percent disability rating for PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol dependency, effective from June 26, 2001, revised due to CUE. The issue is whether there was CUE in assigning this rating.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings for PTSD, depressive disorder, left knee disability, and TDIU. The decision also addressed the issue of a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).