Depression decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of meningitis, and thus service connection for spinal meningitis is denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with anxiety) was granted as these conditions are found to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, sleep disorder, and depression have all been denied. The denial of the back disability claim is due to it not being addressed in this decision. The denial of the sleep disorder claim was based on lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The denial of the depression claim was due to the absence of new and material evidence.

The Veteran withdrew her claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a miscarriage, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disability (generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder) prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as of September 25, 2008 due to his service-connected disabilities. He was also granted special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, was denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD that conforms to the DSM-IV criteria. The examiner found no evidence of a link between the claimed in-service stressors and the current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a typographical error in the supplemental statement of the case and for an additional VA psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 100% effective March 11, 2014. Prior to that date, the rating was 70%. The Major Depressive Disorder issue remains on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine if the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service, including whether any preexisting personality disorders were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, TDIU, and service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, paranoid schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. This includes obtaining VA treatment records, verifying in-service stressors, and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that the evidence submitted since the final denial was cumulative and did not provide new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, urticaria (claimed as rash on back, neck, and arms), eye disability (allergic conjunctivitis/dry eyes), and acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder/ depression) are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left leg radiculopathy is also being remanded.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability and chronic headache. The original denial of these claims is now considered on their merits.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for addendum opinions regarding the etiology of his psychiatric and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective February 10, 2014. The VA has also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent prior to October 6, 2011. The symptoms include reduced reliability and productivity due to mild memory loss, depressed mood, anxiety, nightmares, and chronic sleep impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and obsessive compulsive disorder) due to a lack of evidence showing in-service occurrence or continuity of symptomatology related to these conditions.

The Veteran's migrainous headaches are currently rated at 50% and his depression is rated at 70% since May 28, 2013. The appeal for an increased rating of depression remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected MDD approximated total social and occupational impairment due to symptoms such as persistent danger of hurting self or others, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene), and instances of disorientation to time or place.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have consistently precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since February 2000, with the exception of a brief period in June 2010 to May 2012 when he was employed.