Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's depression and coronary artery disease were aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including unspecified depression disorder with anxious distress, obesity, disability manifested by chest pain (chest wall pain), and foot fungus. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any other service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, was not incurred or aggravated by service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is related to any incident during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not causally related to his service or his service-connected left leg disability, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to deficiencies in a previous VA addendum opinion. The appellant is seeking service connection for various psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, and the claim will be reviewed again based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, arthritis, and a back condition. The case will be remanded to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder was rated at 30 percent prior to March 8, 2017. The claim for TDIU is moot as the Veteran now receives a 100% rating.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and granted service connection based on a diagnosed PTSD related to an in-service incident. The Veteran is also found to have other acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, which are at least as likely as not related to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hemorrhoids, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety disorder, depression/dysthymic disorder), and blood deficiency have been granted with effective dates of September 1, 1999, October 9, 2008, and no date respectively.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder and polysubstance abuse, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service stressors.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and any pertinent private treatment records. The AOJ will also make another request to the U.S. Army Crime Records Center regarding his asserted stressor in Germany.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression is withdrawn. The claim for a compensable rating for hypertension is granted, with an initial evaluation of 10%. Service connection for alcoholism and right shoulder disability is denied.

The Veteran's duodenal ulcer disease with GERD is rated as 20 percent disabling, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7305. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and for an increased rating for major depressive disorder. The Veteran's current symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated medical records. The issues are whether he should receive a higher rating for his major depressive disorder and if he is unemployable due to this condition.

The Veteran's depression is found to be secondary to his service-connected interstitial lung disease, warranting service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of increased rating for peptic ulcer disease, service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, low back condition, and chronic vision condition. The evidence did not support a higher rating for peptic ulcer disease or establish service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, are not related to service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of her acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to service-connected disabilities, and effective dates prior to February 29, 2012, for TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance are also being remanded.