Depression decisions — 2016

The Veteran's service connection claim for an unspecified anxiety disorder with depression and alcohol dependency is granted. Service connection for PTSD is denied. The Veteran's subscapular bursitis of the left shoulder is rated at 20 percent since January 3, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination with a psychiatrist or psychologist to determine if the Veteran meets DSM-IV/DSM-V criteria for PTSD and whether any diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and compliance with prior Board directives.

The Veteran's depression and PTSD have been rated at the highest possible level (100%) since November 5, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's incarceration and lack of VA examination. The AOJ is instructed to take all reasonable measures to schedule a VA examination for the Veteran, including contacting the correctional facility or sending a VA examiner to conduct the examination.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is characterized by symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety in crowds, panic attacks, chronic sleep disturbance, lack of motivation/interest, increasing social isolation, irritability/angry outbursts, and difficulty maintaining effective work and social relationships. The VA has granted a 30 percent disability rating for the service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and all issues on appeal have been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for a VA examination and further analysis of the Veteran's claims.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for residuals of fracture, left acromion process and segmental fracture and residuals of a head/brain injury. The remaining issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD, major depression, anxiety, impulse control disorder) is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is productive of occupational and social impairment in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood. He has been granted a higher rating for his psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left shoulder and spine conditions has been withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and PTSD, finding that the current psychiatric disorders are causally related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected depression, spondylosis deformans of the lumbar spine, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities have all been denied. The Veteran is currently receiving the maximum available ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of all pending appeals by the Veteran.

The Board found no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder related to service, including the reported stressor events. The Veteran's diagnoses are attributed to his substance abuse and hepatitis C, rather than service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders was denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD, and the existing diagnoses are not considered to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression with anxiety, vertigo, GERD, and hypertension. The decision also found that referral for extraschedular consideration of bilateral hearing loss was not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder and depression are related to his service-connected spinal meningitis, thus granting service connection for a neuropsychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for cold injury residuals and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and depression) and hypertension. The Veteran's cold injury residuals are linked to his service, while the acquired psychiatric disabilities and hypertension do not appear to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for depression and granted a 20% rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The issue of TDIU is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of acute bronchitis is reconsidered and granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim, as a relevant service treatment record was submitted in June 1983.