Depression decisions — 2015

The Veteran meets the threshold requirements for TDIU due to a single service-connected disability rated at 40 percent or more and a combined rating of 70 percent or higher. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including depression, left knee disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, and left ankle and hemorrhoids.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, anxiety and/or somatization disorder as secondary to her service-connected disabilities. The claim was also denied for a rating in excess of 30 percent for obstructive ventilatory defect with asthma and bronchial spasms and for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining service personnel records and VA/privately obtained medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression and anxiety has been reopened, but the Board finds that new evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The claims for increased ratings for residuals of fracture, right tibia with adherent scar; painful scar associated with residuals of fracture, right tibia with adherent scar; and loss of bone, right fibula, donor site are denied. The 1151 claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is also denied.

The Veteran's emergency room care at Florida Hospital Medical Center on November 24, 2010 was found to meet the criteria for reimbursement due to his service-connected disabilities resulting in total disability.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD have been denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service stressor or exposure to trauma. The service-connected mandible fracture has also not resulted in a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities was also denied. The Board found that while the Veteran's service-connected conditions rendered him unable to work, they did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for his service-connected psychogenic pain disorder with depressive disorder is denied as there is no evidence of intent to file a claim or worsening of the condition prior to February 12, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection for depression and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The Board has remanded these issues due to their inextricability with each other.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and anxiety/depressive disorders, are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including obtaining updated medical records and conducting new examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disabilities and overall employability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing for the issues from his second substantive appeal, including those from 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to address the current symptoms and effects of his depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any current psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depression, has been granted. The Board finds it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current depression symptoms are at least partially attributable to her active duty service.