Depression decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypoparathyroidism and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as her claim for a compensable rating for service-connected deviated nasal septum.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD and depressive disorder) and a bilateral knee condition are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, as well as a new VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to military service. The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and/or major depressive disorder will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA examination and treatment records, and for obtaining an addendum opinion from a suitably qualified VA examiner regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the Veteran's claims for sarcoidosis and hypertension. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected major depression is being remanded due to the need to obtain outstanding private medical records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, as secondary to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be related to his service-connected GAD/depression. Service connection for GAD/depression is granted with an effective date of June 22, 2007, and a rating of 50 percent. The right knee disability is rated as 20 percent from the initial grant of service connection on June 21, 2012, to January 31, 2014, and as 70 percent beginning February 1, 2014. Service connection for GAD/depression is granted with an effective date of February 1, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, intermittent explosive disorder, bipolar type II, depressive disorder, and mood disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder are related to his reported personal trauma and assault during service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is related to his active duty service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claimed depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder are not service-connected as they are considered manifestations of his already service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA records. A vocational rehabilitation specialist will also evaluate the Veteran's employability with her service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, was denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD and concluded that any depression is not related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressor. The Veteran is required to provide more details about his location and unit during the alleged incident, and VA will attempt to verify this information through appropriate sources.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in diagnoses and need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include personality disorder, is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current diagnoses are related to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify her.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing before the Board at the RO. The Veteran was diagnosed with unspecified depressive disorder, which is incorporated in his previous PTSD claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and depression as secondary to his low back disorder have been denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.