Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and translating any untranslated documents. The issues of evaluating major depressive disorder and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder and depression did not pre-exist service, nor were they aggravated by service. The Board found no increase in symptoms or frequency during or following his active military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD. The VA will attempt to corroborate the Veteran’s reported stressors and provide a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed condition.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to inadequate development and lack of information on the Veteran's employment status. The Veteran needs to provide a full educational and employment history, and he should be examined for his major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his current mental health conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was partially granted, with a 60 percent rating for status post internal sphincterectomy and anal fissure with residual incontinence. The appeals for migraine headaches and major depressive disorder are remanded due to the need for new examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as he has one disability rated at 40 percent or more and sufficient additional disability to bring his combined rating to 70 percent or more due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential service connection issues, including a need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his conditions and military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disorder, lower back disorder, and dermatitis. The issues include seeking increased evaluations for PTSD-related conditions and service connection for the aforementioned disorders.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an initial evaluation of 70 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The issue of a higher evaluation for right shoulder tendonitis is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that he does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and his symptoms are better explained by Major Depressive Disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims were dismissed. The claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted service connection, but his lumbar spine disability remains at 20% despite some functional limitations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an Anxiety Disorder, and a Dysthymic Disorder (claimed as Depression) due to additional development being required.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current diagnoses of erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, and depression may be associated with service. The case is being remanded to obtain VA examinations to determine the etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychological disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to clarify his current diagnosis and determine its relationship to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for his service-connected TBI is being remanded due to the need for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a headache disorder, respiratory condition, hypertension, insomnia, peripheral vascular disease of the left and right lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD) due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran was granted service connection for major depression, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) was granted with an effective date of October 21, 2013.

The Veteran's right knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depression have been reopened. The remaining claims are remanded for further review.