Depression decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and headaches were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder (subclinical PTSD) was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of in-service traumatic events and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorder is related to service. The Veteran was previously denied service connection due to lack of verified stressors.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders, finding that the Veteran's claims were reopened based on new and material evidence. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of chronic depression is not etiologically related to his active duty service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying stressors and obtaining VA and private treatment records. The Veteran's service connection claim will be reconsidered after these steps.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for post-operative chronic left scrotal abscess, service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder, and service connection for cocaine dependence, to include as secondary to a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including a new VA psychiatric examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depression.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depression and Lumbosacral Strain with Spondylolysis have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's PTSD with delusional disorder and depressive disorder was rated at 30 percent prior to April 9, 2008, due to occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, providing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses and their relation to his service-connected left knee disorder, and addressing whether any previously diagnosed psychiatric disorders are caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and an addendum opinion is required. Additional VA treatment records are also needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a nonspecific depressive disorder was received on September 17, 1956. The Board found that the condition is related to in-service psychiatric treatment and granted the claim with an initial effective date of September 17, 1956.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, effective May 1, 2008. The evidence does not support a finding of total occupational and social impairment due to the service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, fibromyalgia, and IBS, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and finds that his depressive disorder is not related to service. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's death was caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and the Board is remanding the case for further development regarding whether his service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine, bilateral pes planus, alopecia areata and seborrheic dermatitis have been found to be etiologically related to his depressive disorder with anxiety. DJD of the bilateral feet is also linked to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. Right peroneal nerve radiculopathy has been determined to be associated with his lumbar spine condition.

Service connection for chronic maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis was denied as the evidence did not show a nexus to service.,Service connection for anxiety attacks with sleeping problems and memory loss has been reopened, but is still not granted due to lack of a direct link to service.