Depression decisions — 2018

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD, finding that no application to reopen was received prior to September 30, 2010. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU are remanded due to inextricably intertwined nature.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current schizophrenia, paranoid type, with depression and anxiety had its onset in service and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the onset of his psychiatric conditions.

The Veteran's thoracic spine, left shoulder, left knee, left ankle, right ankle/foot, eye, stomach, leg numbness, and heart disabilities are not service-connected. The psychiatric disability is also not service-connected.

The Veteran's skin cancer, tic, and mood disorder (major depressive disorder) are all found to be related to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for increased rating of peripheral neuropathy is granted.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to make a decision on the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, and therefore, the case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a gastrointestinal condition, to include secondary to his service-connected Crohn's disease, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's ED and depression are being remanded for additional examinations to determine their relationship to his service-connected back disability. The TDIU claim is also being referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hammertoes, calluses of the feet, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine due to a fall during VA medical treatment. The right shoulder disorder is also granted as a result of the same incident.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and consideration of the evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of major depressive disorder was granted effective November 12, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities and awarded a TDIU from April 20, 2014.

The Veteran's psychiatric condition and TDIU claims are granted with effective dates of April 3, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, PTSD, and depressive disorder, finding that there was no medical evidence linking his current mental health conditions to his in-service experiences.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for MDD due to new evidence showing a possible link between the Veteran's MDD and his military service. The claim is now granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression. The new evidence received since the final denial in May 2010 raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, specifically degenerative joint and disc disease, post-operative laminectomy discectomy L5-S1, left S1 radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of VA treatment records, particularly those from January 2018 and February 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, an eye disorder, and a psychiatric disorder (depression). The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to potential missing VA treatment records. The AOJ must obtain all relevant medical records and readjudicate the cases.