Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for vertigo on a secondary basis to his service-connected hearing loss. The claim of depression is remanded as the Veteran did not undergo a VA examination and the AOJ must schedule one.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals of prostate cancer, status post radical retropubic prostatectomy with bilateral lymphadectomy. The Veteran's other specified depressive disorder is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, MDD and anxiety is remanded due to uncertainty regarding the current diagnosis of PTSD. A VA examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed condition is related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his military service. The case will be reviewed with a new VA examination and additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, best characterized as major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, which is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disability. However, it denied service connection for a right hip disorder, currently diagnosed as right hip strain, on the basis that there was no evidence of its onset during service or being caused by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hair loss and depression, finding that both conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service due to willful misconduct.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than anxiety disorder, to include PTSD and Major Depression Disorder. The Veteran's PTSD is based on an established in-service stressor involving combat-related sniper attacks during his Vietnam service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, depressive disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected comminuted left tibia fracture with shortened left leg. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for his tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, depression, and sleep apnea have been granted. The claim for hyperlipidemia is denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for residuals, anterior cruciate ligament repair, left knee, and degenerative changes, left knee are denied.

The Board has decided to remand several issues, including the rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), left hip disability, and TDIU. The decision also requires a new VA examination for each of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased evaluations have been remanded due to the need for additional development.,A TDIU claim has also been identified as being inextricably intertwined with the increased evaluation claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher staged initial ratings for depression, entitlement to SMC by reason of being housebound, and entitlement to a TDIU are inextricably intertwined with his earlier effective date claim. As such, these issues must be remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence and exposure to contaminated water at Parris Island, South Carolina.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder with psychotic features was denied. The Board found that total occupational and social impairment, as required for a 100% rating, has not been shown. The issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA are remanded due to the potential impact on these decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for a depressive disorder, but denied service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied service connection for a right arm disorder, neck disorder, and back disorder. The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) were also denied as secondary to the back disorder.,Service records did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions during active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder is linked to his current sleep apnea, which the Board finds secondary to his service-connected condition. The Veteran's COPD status post bilateral pneumothorax has been rated at 30% since March 2011.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, as there was no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression, are being remanded for a VA examination to determine if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.