Depression decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal to reopen a claim for service connection for depression, also claimed as adjustment disorder with depressed mood, to include as secondary to migraine headaches has been withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including panic disorder with agoraphobia, major depressive disorder, and alcohol dependence in remission, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and found that the Veteran's depressive disorder warrants a 50 percent evaluation, effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is found to be related to his service in Vietnam. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board granted a higher disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, effective September 24, 2015. The Veteran's COPD was also found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD related to his Vietnam service is granted. The appeal regarding the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, ischemic heart disease, and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus are dismissed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his spine and knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability, and therefore cannot establish service connection for bipolar disorder or any other psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and a sleep disorder (obstructive sleep apnea) were denied. The effective date for the award of service connection for tinnitus was set at December 10, 2009.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus prior to December 10, 2009, is not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran's major depression and anxiety disorder are rated at 70 percent since August 24, 2010 due to significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, was not incurred or aggravated during service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of a nexus between his current psychiatric disability and any event, injury, or disease in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and medical opinions regarding his acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal on the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision. The claim for an increased rating for lichen simplex is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's depression is currently rated at 50 percent, and an effective date prior to May 29, 2009, for this rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder, NOS (also claimed as anxiety and depression) has been rated at 70 percent since August 10, 2010. The Veteran seeks higher initial ratings for her service-connected right greater trochanter bursitis and piriformis pain syndrome and TDIU. However, the Board finds that an initial rating in excess of 70 percent is not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has also been raised.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder NOS was granted. The claim for a compensable initial evaluation for fatty liver disease was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing on all issues, including service connection and reduction in evaluation.

The Veteran's MDD has been shown to cause occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas (work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood), warranting a 70 percent rating prior to October 1, 2015.