Depression decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorders are not etiologically related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for depression and PTSD, but denied both claims as the evidence does not establish a link between current psychiatric disabilities and military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety and depressive disorders were incurred in active service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new examination to address the etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including depression and PTSD. The Veteran's service treatment records reflect no pre-existing psychiatric disability at entry into active service in April 1976.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, was not found to warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to August 16, 2013.

The Veteran's right hip piriformis syndrome, which was service-connected and rated at 30%, contributed to his death from acute bronchopneumonia. The Board found that the disability aided in producing the death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The claims of reopening service connection for respiratory and psychiatric disabilities, as well as seeking an initial disability rating for chronic sinusitis, are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment consistent with his education, training, and work experience.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a psychiatric examination to determine whether he has an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The Veteran's right arm or hand disability is also being examined.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not addressed due to the lack of VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with depression, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background throughout the period of appeal.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with anxiety and depressive disorders that are believed to have originated during his military service, particularly his deployment in Kuwait. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder with depression. The decision is based on a finding that there was no current disability.

The Veteran's initial claim of service connection for PTSD was granted, and a rating in excess of 30 percent is now warranted prior to June 13, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private medical records, as well as SSA disability records. The case will be returned to the Board after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, memory loss, and depression, is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran is found to have an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, which is related to his in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case to attempt to corroborate a claimed stressor event of witnessing a vehicular accident that caused serious bodily injury to a sergeant, which ultimately resulted in the sergeant's death. The Veteran served as a truck driver with the 91st Engineering Company during the period from August 1967 to approximately August 1968.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a leg infection, drug abuse, benign prostatic hyperplasia, onychodystrophy and splitting, sleep disorder, fatigue, and concentration problems were denied as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder.