Depression decisions — 2015

The Veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred at a non-VA hospital on June 17, 2012. The Board has determined that the case should be remanded to determine if the services provided were of such a nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health and whether VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for further proceedings consistent with a Joint Motion for Partial Remand (JMPR). The claims of service connection for psychiatric disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and left hip disorder are inextricably intertwined with the issues of service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disorders.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disability, including depression. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted service connection, with a rating of 10 percent.,Ratings for right and left knee Osgood-Schlatter disease are denied. The Veteran has mild instability in both knees.

The Board has determined that there is at least an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as a result of service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, PTSD, and depression) were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private treatment records, as well as any pertinent SSA disability benefits records. A supplemental opinion from the social worker who conducted the April 2015 VA Social and Industrial Survey will also be obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of service periods and a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was found to warrant a 70 percent disability rating from February 19, 2009 until December 3, 2012. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected major depressive disorder is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial rating of 30 percent for his depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination.

The Board has granted DIC benefits on behalf of the Veteran's children, effective November 20, 2009. The appellant initially applied for DIC benefits in September 2007 and submitted an application to correct military records in November 2009. The Department of the Army determined that the Veteran's death was not in the line of duty due to his willful misconduct but later changed this determination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression, as secondary to his service-connected traumatic full thickness macular hole of the left eye, is being remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding aggravation.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's depressive disorder effective May 31, 2011. The Veteran's claim was originally received on that date and she is entitled to this effective date as it represents the earliest date of entitlement.

The Veteran's PTSD disability is rated at 70 percent, indicating significant impairment in most areas such as work and social relationships.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and remanded the case to obtain a VA examination and additional medical records. The Veteran is seeking to establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to decide the Veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized private medical expenses, including a medical opinion regarding whether VA facilities were feasibly available and if the treatment at West Palm Hospital was for a medical emergency.

The Board has remanded the case due to the submission of additional Federal records which require the issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are still under consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran's seizures were not caused by VA treatment and did not find proximate causation. Therefore, his claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and secondary service connection are denied.

The Veteran's depression and PTSD were found to have originated during her active service, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.