Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder due to the need for new medical opinions and examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU due to PTSD. The Veteran will need further examinations to determine his current level of functioning and its impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for anxiety and depression disorder, as well as a TDIU based on these conditions, are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and clarification of his symptoms.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD and depression, hypertension, inguinal hernia, and headaches due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder due to military sexual trauma is rated at 100 percent, the highest possible rating. The appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is moot as the claim has been fully granted.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder and sedative, hypnotic and anxiolytic disorder. The Board granted TDIU as his service-connected disability renders him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided that the claims for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder and obstructive sleep apnea need further development due to conflicting medical evidence and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board granted service connection for asthma secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right lung cancer and granted an effective date of October 20, 2004 for depression. The case is remanded for a VA examination regarding post-thoracotomy pain syndrome.

The Board has granted service connection for migraines and a permanent and total rating for pension purposes, but denied service connection for psychiatric disability (bipolar disorder and depression), insomnia, sleep impairment, and memory loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's cardiovascular disability is secondary to his service-connected enucleated left eye and/or meralgia paresthetica of the right hip. The examiner must provide an opinion on both causation (proximately due) and aggravation.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since June 17, 2011. Prior to that date, the Board granted a rating of 50 percent for PTSD and found no basis for an earlier effective date.

Service connection is granted for major depressive disorder and the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot disorders are found to be the primary cause of his current major depressive disorder. The Veteran's other service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and Depression, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are due to in-service stressors, including military sexual trauma.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen for service connection for major depressive disorder, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for avulsion of tip of the olecranon, left elbow is remanded. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of a fracture of the left leg is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination, and requests for additional records and a new opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and treatment records. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating for service-connected acquired psychiatric disability, including depression.

The Board has granted service connection for an anxiety disorder and a depressive disorder, both related to the Veteran's in-service stressor of witnessing a tank accident. The issues of entitlement to service connection for substance-related disorders, residuals of attempted suicides, hepatitis C, liver disorder, fatigue, special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance of another, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability are also addressed.