Depression decisions — 2015

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for PTSD and granted service connection.,Service connection was not granted for other psychiatric disorders, including depression and dysthymia.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of his diagnosed depressive disorder and mood disorder. The TDIU claim will be deferred pending resolution on service connection.

The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's diagnosed mental health disability is not related to his military service, and concluded it was more likely due to his ongoing polysubstance abuse.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression and bipolar disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA social and industrial survey to assess his ability to work due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD to include anxiety and depression disorders is currently rated at 50 percent, effective July 9, 2014. The appeal for a higher initial rating has been granted.

The Board found no current PTSD diagnosis and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Major Depressive Disorder. The Veteran's lay statements regarding continuous mental health symptoms since service were deemed not credible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder and depressive disorder are related to his active military service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were not established, and thus denied.

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

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred or aggravated in active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of his acquired psychiatric disorders is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of VA treatment records.

The Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder that is etiologically related to her active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and increased rating for left knee enthesophyte, status post crush injury. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and schizoaffective disorder, is granted. The decision is based on a finding of direct service connection without any presumption or secondary relationship to a pre-existing condition.

The Board has restored the original 20% ratings for right and left ankle disabilities, granted separate initial 10% ratings for right and left knee instability, and denied increased rating claims for right and left knee disabilities. The Veteran's MDD remains at a 70% rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a headache condition. The Veteran's claim of service connection for depression, as secondary to her service-connected disabilities, was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following all forms of substantially gainful employment during the period from July 24, 2006 to April 8, 2007.