Depression decisions — 2017

The Veteran's PTSD was productive of symptoms such as depressed mood, nightmares, irritability, and cognitive impairment/difficulty concentrating. The disability resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity but did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia, claimed as painful and swelling joints, has been granted service connection due to its presumed relation to Gulf War service. The Board also found that the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of PTSD and major depressive disorder, which are related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for a current diagnosis of PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders under DSM-V. The appeal will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his current anxiety disorder is related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied, but he is granted service connection for other psychiatric disabilities including Adjustment Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran does not have PTSD and her other psychiatric disabilities, including personality disorder, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and major depressive disorder, were not manifested in service or are otherwise etiologically related to service.,Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Board has remanded the case to verify in-service stressors and provide an opinion on whether his current psychiatric conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the appellant's claims for service connection and TDIU, including obtaining verification of her periods of active duty training (ADT) after 1980, obtaining all relevant VA and non-VA treatment records, scheduling a VA audiology examination, and verifying SSA disability benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including psychosis, depression, and anxiety, is being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and tinnitus do not render him unemployable due to his disabilities, as he has the education and skills to perform jobs with minimal responsibility.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a link between the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as chronic depression, and his active service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a mental disorder, and the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for PTSD or DDNOS. The appeal was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of major depressive disorder is related to his active duty, and thus service connection for depression has been granted.

The Veteran is granted a 70 percent rating for service-connected depressive disorder prior to July 29, 2009.,A compensable rating of 10 percent is assigned for hypertension throughout the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, but the effective dates are not established as requested.

The Veteran is currently rated at 40 percent for his prostate condition and has a combined disability rating of 60 percent. His service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting an effective date of January 19, 2007 for the TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to May 11, 2017. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of TDIU prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, particularly regarding her claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The effective date issue remains on hold until further notice.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's personality disorder, by itself, is not a compensable disability and does not superimpose onto an acquired psychiatric disability during or as a result of service. The Board also found no evidence to support service connection for migraine headaches or sleep disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed persistent depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder were incurred in service, granting service connection for these conditions.