Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss evaluation, and eligibility to Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete development.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not file a claim for depression within one year of her discharge from service. The current claim for PTSD was filed in January 18, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition, tremors, and an acquired psychiatric condition including PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The issues are being remanded for further development.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his service or another service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Alcohol Abuse have been found to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. A TDIU is granted beginning January 25, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with depression is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection due to in-service combat stressors, and resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder and PVCs disability are not service-connected, and the TDIU rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol dependence is denied. The earliest effective date is August 22, 2011.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depression. The claims for service connection for migraines, arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease), psychosis, and a psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for left knee, ankle, and foot disorders, tinnitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, and migraine headaches. The VA is directed to obtain relevant medical records and schedule examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of major depression and TDIU benefits, finding that the earliest possible effective dates were April 7, 2009.

The Board has decided that additional records development is needed to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is related to his military service. The VA will need to obtain treatment records from Massachusetts General Hospital for the period of January 2000 through December 2000.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for depressive disorder, NOS. The claim of service connection for fibromyalgia remains pending.,Service connection was denied for PTSD due to lack of a current diagnosis. Service connection was granted for depressive disorder, NOS based on credible evidence linking the condition to in-service events.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea are not service-connected.,Service connection for a psychiatric disability (depression) secondary to lumbar spine disability is remanded. The Veteran currently meets the schedular requirements for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for depression is being remanded due to the lack of recent medical evidence and a need for a new VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, depressive disorder, and a back disability. The claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to April 28, 2011 did not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 50 percent. The evidence does not show that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation solely by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and psychiatric disabilities (PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety) are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for a 100% disability evaluation for service-connected depression was granted by the Board in August 2013, but the RO assigned only a 30% rating from January 30, 2009 to March 3, 2013. The case is remanded due to misfiled records and outstanding VA treatment records.