Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is related to his service-connected right ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for OSA is denied.,Service connection for headaches is denied.,The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 20 percent and the reduction from 100 percent to 20 percent was proper.,An effective date prior to November 9, 2015, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to September 28, 2012 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied. The effective date assigned is September 28, 2012, which is the date of the informal claim.

The Veteran's back disorder, to include degenerative arthritis of the spine, is related to service and granted. The issues for arthritis, depression, and neck disorders are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate clarification of the opinion provided by the VA examiner. The Veteran's condition is being reviewed again with additional development and a new examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypercholesterolemia has been denied as it does not constitute a disability for VA benefits purposes.,New and material evidence having been received, the claims for hypertension and alcoholism have both been reopened. Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depression and/or mood disorder), migraine headaches, and sleep apnea on secondary basis to service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's joint pain, coronary artery disease, diabetes, eye disorder, glaucoma, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disorder (asthma), liver disorder, kidney disorder, erectile dysfunction, residuals of TBI, restless leg syndrome, GERD, and other issues have been remanded for further review.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and TDIU due to the lack of evidence supporting a relationship between the Veteran's current psychiatric conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder and delusional disorder is rated as 100 percent disabling effective June 1, 2015.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hearing loss, Parkinson's disease, a psychiatric disorder, a sleeping disorder, and PTSD. The issues are being addressed due to insufficient evidence or need for further medical evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, a denial of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with depressive disorder prior to August 29, 2016, and the denial of service connection for a respiratory disorder (to include asbestosis).

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder, but remanded the other issues due to missing treatment records and need for further medical opinions. The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be aggravated by his service-connected headaches and left leg disability.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a rating of 70 percent since February 1, 2013. The issue of an initial rating for lumbar spine IVDS with right lower extremity neurological impairment is remanded. The issue of TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder, finding that the Veteran's condition is more likely than not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for depressive disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chondromalacia, left knee, and chondromalacia, right knee are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD with Panic Disorder and for TDIU is being remanded due to unclear diagnoses and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for hepatitis C was denied due to lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or causation.,Service connection for a skin disorder (pruritus and lichen planus) has been granted based on new evidence showing current disability related to service.,Depression secondary to PTSD is now considered service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and/or depression) are related to service, but further medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension are all found to be secondary to his service-connected skin and knee disabilities. The left knee disability is granted with a 30% rating effective December 11, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and major depression, is denied as there was no in-service disease or injury that caused the current conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and increased ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy as well as a TDIU claim due to pending development.