Depression decisions — 2016

The Board found that the appellant was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to turning 18 years old, and thus denied his claim for recognition as a helpless child.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service, and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have osteoarthritis of the bilateral knees, hands, and shoulders. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending as there is insufficient evidence to determine whether it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to military sexual trauma in service, and she has other psychiatric disorders that are secondary to her PTSD.,The Veteran's GERD and sleep apnea are found to be secondary to her PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) to address additional evidence received after the previous Statements of the Case. The issues include service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, higher ratings for degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and psychiatric disorders (including PTSD, depression, and adjustment disorder) was denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused the current conditions. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD linked to any corroborated in-service stressor and other diagnosed psychiatric disorders are not shown to have had an onset during service or be related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder, is causally related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric condition that is shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information about the Veteran's claimed stressors, and a request for verification from the Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) is necessary.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and secondary service connection claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing and obtaining an examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, hepatitis C, and major depressive disorder are service-connected. The Veteran is assigned a 70 percent rating for his major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has been rated at 30 percent since January 4, 2010. The VA examiner found the Veteran to have occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, near-continuous panic or depression affecting ability to function independently, unprovoked irritability with periods of violence, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, difficulty establishing effective relationships, and intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which is claimed as PTSD. The Veteran's claim was reopened and a new diagnosis of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder was provided.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hepatitis C is related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for hepatitis C. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for depression or flashbacks, and there are no service-connected disabilities to qualify for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder and/or sleeping disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant service treatment records and private medical records.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder has been rated at 70 percent since December 23, 2013. Prior to that date, the rating was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a hearing at his local VA Regional Office.