Depression decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA social and industrial survey to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for an opinion on whether the Veteran's depression and anxiety disorders were aggravated by his service-connected physical disabilities. The claim will be reconsidered based on all evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for a mental health condition, including major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, as these conditions are aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. The issue of PTSD remains pending.

The Board has found that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded for further examination and consideration of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a VA psychiatric examination to assess the severity of his service-connected major depressive disorder and its impact on his employability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a depressive disorder was reopened. However, the claim for left shoulder tendonitis remains denied.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent effective October 27, 2015. This rating reflects the most severe level of impairment due to her condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 22, 2012.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder has been manifested by severe symptoms that have resulted in deficiencies in most areas, including work, interpersonal relations, thinking, and mood. The Veteran is entitled to a 70 percent disability rating for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic headaches and acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his service-connected disabilities, granting these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for PTSD with anxiety and panic attacks, secondary depression, and episodic alcohol abuse is being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected depressive disorder. The issues on appeal are whether he should receive an increased rating for his depressive disorder and if his disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board has found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorder and mood disorder with depression, are related to his service-connected disabilities, specifically his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and prostate cancer. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with secondary alcohol abuse, PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder was granted a 70 percent evaluation from August 12, 2010 to May 19, 2015. The right and left knee bursitis claims were denied.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of May 17, 2011 for the award of service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not that his current diagnosis of GAD is due to his service-connected facial scar.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from August 29, 2011. The TDIU claim remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, has been reopened. The Board finds that new evidence supports the reopening of the claim and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable or unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation for the period on appeal prior to February 26, 2010.

The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety disorder, began during service due to his inability to perform parachute jumps as a result of physical ailments in service. The diagnosis is considered direct service connection.