Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for back, neck, left leg drop, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions.

The Board denied service connection for mild degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, left knee pain, right knee pain, and depression. The Veteran's back condition is not considered to have originated during service due to lack of objective findings. His knee conditions are also not considered to be related to service. Depression is attributed to multiple life events post-service.

Your claim for PTSD, persistent depression, and alcohol use disorder has been fully granted. There is no remaining case or controversy as the issue was resolved in your favor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The effective date of the decision is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and a bilateral foot disorder other than pes planus have been reopened, with the new evidence showing that these conditions may be related to his military service. The claim is granted in part.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depression and PTSD. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD and MDD have been rated at 70% since July 14, 2015. The Board has ordered a remand to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his PTSD and MDD.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for depression and remanded it due to need for additional development. The hearing loss claim is also remanded, but PTSD remains unresolved as there was no verified in-service stressor.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD. A VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to service, including military sexual trauma.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and depression) is denied.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: the claim for service connection of a brain hemorrhage as secondary to PTSD, and the issue regarding an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected PTSD. The decision is based on the need for additional medical opinions due to inadequate previous examinations.

Your claims for service connection related to migraine headaches, bilateral eye disability, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder, NOS with PTSD are granted. A 70% rating is assigned for the service-connected depressive disorder from the date of service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, to include a recurrent moderate major depressive disorder, has rendered him totally occupationally impaired for the entire period on appeal (December 21, 2004 thru October 23, 2016). As such, he is granted a 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for chronic ingrown toenail of the right 5th toe, PTSD and major depressive disorder, and a right foot injury have been dismissed.,The Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for service connection for left knee arthralgia, right knee arthralgia, left ankle arthralgia, and right ankle arthralgia have been granted. The appeals for these issues are remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right foot injury is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting diagnoses of PTSD and lack of a nexus between current psychiatric conditions and service. The Veteran's lay statements, private and VA treatment records, and additional anxiety disorder diagnosis are considered.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder is rated at 50 percent, the maximum rating available. The appeal for higher ratings on other conditions remains pending.

The Veteran's need for aid and attendance was determined to be due to a nonservice-connected neurocognitive disorder, not his service-connected PTSD with depression. Therefore, SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a major depressive disorder and increased ratings for Crohn's disease have been withdrawn by his attorney.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major depressive disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy.