Depression decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, and mood disorder as well as right knee disability are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The AOJ is instructed to schedule VA examinations to address these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of her complete medical history.

The Veteran's MDD with psychotic features has been granted a rating of 50 percent, effective March 17, 2009. His lumbar disc strain disability is not rated higher than 20 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for depressive disorder, finding that the evidence is in equipoise on whether his current condition is related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his bipolar disorder type 2, with dysthymic disorder and insomnia was denied by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as due to a head injury with concussion, is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's depression and anxiety have been rated at 50 percent since March 9, 2005. The rating for chondromalacia of the left knee is also at 50 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD was manifested by difficulty in understanding complex commands, impairment of short term memory, clear disturbances of motivation, sleep disturbances and mood as well as a clear difficulty in working with others and establishing effective relationships prior to August 9, 2006. The Board found that the criteria for an initial rating of 50 percent have been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings for right toe disability and low back disability have been granted. The Veteran is now entitled to a 30 percent rating for his right toe disability effective December 5, 2014.

The Veteran's PTSD with a not otherwise specified depressive disorder is rated at 100 percent, granting the requested rating. The TDIU issue remains pending as it will be readjudicated following assignment of the effective date for the PTSD rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder related to service, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing medical records and a need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's death is being reviewed to determine if his service-connected conditions contributed substantially to his cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his PTSD with depressive disorder and consideration of all received evidence.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and initial higher ratings for his service-connected low back disability, right knee disability, right foot disability, hepatic cyst disability, and right knee scar. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain the Veteran's service personnel records concerning his court marshal and felony conviction for cocaine use, to provide a new VA examination(s) to determine the current severity of these disabilities, and to obtain VA treatment records from July 2015 from the Bay Pines VAMC.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and major depressive disorder, is related to his active military service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with depressive disorder has been rated at 30 percent, and the RO reduced his rating for left sided L5-S1 herniated nucleus pulposus from 40 to 10 percent. The reduction was upheld as it occurred within five years of the initial rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the Veteran's military personnel file and Social Security Administration. The Veteran is also to be provided notice regarding potential sources of evidence that may corroborate her claimed in-service personal assault.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify the character of his discharge and provide a medical opinion regarding service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder is rated at 50 percent since November 12, 2008.