Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are granted as service connected due to the evidence being at least in equipoise regarding their causation by military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his service. The Veteran needs to provide a statement from his daughter and updated medical records, and an examination is needed to determine if his conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.,The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted a 70 percent rating from August 28, 2009 to March 4, 2014. The Board also found that a higher rating is not warranted for this period.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The Board also granted a TDIU for the entire period on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for depression and anxiety as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of these conditions. The claims are remanded for further examination to determine the current severity of her lumbar strain and right ankle disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as the evidence did not show a link between these conditions and service or service-connected headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and recurrent major depressive disorder have rendered him unable to secure or maintain employment, so the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymic disorder with anxiety features, also claimed as anxiety and depression, to include as secondary to service-connected adenocarcinoma of prostate status post radical prostatectomy.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder has not been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, as his symptoms have not reached the level required for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected physical disabilities caused his unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claim of reopening a previously denied claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, mood disorder, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and impulse control disorder is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for DJD of the left and right knees, DJD of the lumbar spine, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression and insomnia) due to inadequate examination reports and lack of nexus opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of VA examinations. The psychiatric disorder claim is related to his military service, while the hepatitis C and heart condition secondary to alcohol use disorder claims are intertwined with the psychiatric disorder claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension and remanded other issues related to service connection. The Veteran's claims are also remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and examinations.

The Board has remanded several claims, including those for service connection and increased ratings. The gastric cancer claim is inextricably intertwined with the cause of death claim.

The Board denied service connection for depression and alcohol abuse, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for abdominal pain has been reopened and granted. However, the claim for a higher rating for major depressive disorder prior to September 19, 2016, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter remains denied.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, specifically his bilateral hip and knee strains. Service connection for the psychiatric disability is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if the Veteran's conditions are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent and for an effective date earlier than March 23, 2012, for the grant of service connection for adjustment disorder with depression and anxiety are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.