Depression decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further consideration of his claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability prior to July 5, 2012. The case will be referred to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service, for adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depression, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim is denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of frostbite on hands and feet, and an anxiety disorder (claimed as depression) secondary to the service-connected back injury with degenerative arthritis. The claim for a higher initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected back injury was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been expanded to include any acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded due to insufficient information in the record regarding her stressors and because of additional evidence provided by the Veteran.

The appeal is being remanded due to a pending reduction of the Veteran's PTSD disability rating, which could affect his eligibility for DEA benefits. The case will be reviewed again after the proposed reduction is adjudicated.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, requires additional development and a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current diagnosis of adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is etiologically related to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical records, and an addendum opinion is needed from a VA examiner.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosed anxiety disorder is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, and providing a new VA examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service or secondary to tinnitus.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for PTSD, which is considered a direct service connection as no presumption or secondary condition was established. The other conditions are still under consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to verify his periods of service and obtain additional medical records.

The Veteran's depressive disorder resulted in occupational and social deficiencies, warranting a 70% disability rating.,His stomach cancer claim was reopened due to new evidence supporting its connection to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim should be recharacterized as entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, ADHD and mood disorder. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a scheduled hearing before the Board. The case should be returned to the Board after rescheduling the hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining mental health treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol dependence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety is being remanded due to the need for additional mental health care records.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is considered secondary to his left knee injury residuals, while the psychiatric disability is linked to his current anxiety disorder and depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing a supplemental opinion from a VA psychologist regarding the diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to comply with previous instructions and to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors. The claim will be reconsidered after these issues are addressed.