Depression decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current depressive disorder is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition. The skin disorder claim remains pending as there are no findings on herbicide exposure or other presumptive basis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including psychosis and depression, was denied as there is no evidence of a mental health condition during or related to his military service.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction was also denied because the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability that caused or aggravated his condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn his claims for an increased evaluation for major depression and service connection for a left knee meniscal tear.

The Board has remanded the issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for residuals of testicular trauma, depressive disorder, stomach disorder (including irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease), posttraumatic stress disorder, arthralgia, and a testicular disorder (other than testicular trauma) to include a benign testicular neoplasm. The Veteran is scheduled for a travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's MDD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50% disability rating. Service connection for sleep apnea was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his mental health conditions and physical disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as depression, resulted from service. The Board finds that the Veteran has satisfied the first two requirements for establishing service connection and grants his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and providing a statement of the case regarding his bruxism claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of her claims.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability has not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, and for the rating period prior to June 29, 2015, his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of his claim. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, other than a mental disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive symptoms and behaviors to include PTSD, was not manifested in service or related to his service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is unrelated to his military service and therefore denies the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and therefore DIC benefits are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected depressive disorder. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a cognitive disorder has also been raised by the record.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD and cognitive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, effective from September 15, 2011 to June 13, 2016. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD with substance abuse (alcohol) and major depressive disorder is currently evaluated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depressive disorder is at least in equipoise with service connection, and therefore grants her claim for service connection as secondary to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need to obtain SSA records, and no other specific issues are resolved.