Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's PTSD with features of depression is currently rated at 70 percent, effective December 13, 2016. The Board has granted a TDIU effective July 14, 2014.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address recent VA treatment records, assess the Veteran's current sleep disorder and PTSD status, and provide a comprehensive examination of his headaches. The claims will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and diabetes mellitus are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in the Korean DMZ. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection under the presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be aggravated by his service-connected erectile dysfunction, and the claim for depression secondary to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for depression was granted, with an effective date of August 20, 2015. The decision also reopened her previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral foot disability.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability and remanded it for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression with anxiety.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development, such as obtaining VA treatment records and corroborating his claimed stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to an increased disability rating for his service-connected discogenic back disease and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for depression (claimed as a nervous condition) and panic disorder (claimed as panic attacks).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for recurrent major depressive disorder has been granted.,New and material evidence was received to reopen the Veteran's right ankle disability claim, which is now considered.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, was denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left ankle disability. No new evidence or material was presented to reopen the claims.

The Veteran's claims of PTSD and depression were denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM criteria, and the Veteran's depression was not related to his active service. The TDIU claim was also denied due to lack of any service-connected disabilities. An earlier effective date for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied as the claim was received on October 21, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA mental health evaluation, as the previous one did not address his lay statements regarding symptoms in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a lack of credible stressor and no other evidence linking his current diagnoses to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, a psychiatric disorder (anxiety, depression, PTSD), bilateral foot disorder, cervical spine disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right knee/leg disorder, left knee/leg disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The Board found no current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder to include severe depression and anxiety before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder has been rated at 70 percent disabling, and the Board granted his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been rated at 10 percent since December 8, 2016. The VA examiner found the Veteran's symptoms to be mild and transient, with no significant impairment in work or social functioning.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations and service connection have been granted. The conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his military service stressors and therefore, service connection for PTSD is denied.