Depression decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an updated medical opinion to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a polysubstance abuse disorder. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are not related to his military service, and his substance use is considered voluntary.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety disorder NOS, and depression NOS, resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The VA examiner found the Veteran had a GAF score of 50, which corresponds to the criteria for a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 9411.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability, primarily anxiety, depression, and major depressive disorder with psychotic features, is not related to service or any incident of service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it was incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to a previous decision denying service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with new evidence and examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches are not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders, including whether they pre-existed service entrance, and his diverticulitis.

The Veteran's depression is found to be related to her service-connected splenectomy, and she was granted service connection for that condition. The right ear injury scar has been rated at 30% since the beginning of the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression was granted with an effective date of January 10, 2005, the date his initial claim for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was received.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a temporomandibular articulation joint disorder and a psychiatric disorder, to include major depression. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the Veteran's disability picture does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, effective November 18, 2008. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and alcoholism as secondary to a service-connected condition. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's unauthorized inpatient medical expenses at Advocate Bromenn Medical Center during the period May 4, 2012, to May 15, 2012, are authorized as they were related to a service-connected disability (Major Depressive Disorder).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected MDD warrants a 70 percent rating, effective January 9, 2009. The TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board has found the issue of entitlement to a TDIU had been reasonably raised by the record and should be adjudicated as part of the claim on appeal. The Veteran's depressive disorder caused marked impairment in her ability to respond appropriately to coworkers, supervisors, or the general public, and marked impairment in her ability to respond to changes in the work setting. However, the schedular criteria for entitlement to a TDIU have not been met in this case. Therefore, the case is REMANDED for further development including completing VA Form 21-8940 and referring the claim to the Chief Benefits Director or the Director, Compensation Service, for consideration of whether a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is warranted.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and his other psychiatric conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, NOS, and major depressive disorder with a history of PTSD are rated at 70 percent disabling. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU due to her service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found no basis to grant higher ratings or effective dates based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.