Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for depression and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's current mental health disorders are at least as likely as not related to his in-service symptoms. The effective date remains pending further development.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and anxious distress has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployablity was withdrawn. The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his scar, residuals left breast mass excision, remains pending and is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his diagnosed psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and cognitive disorder (frontotemporal dementia).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, depressive disorder, and sleep apnea. Bilateral pes planus is found to have been aggravated by active duty service. The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is found to be etiologically related to his bilateral pes planus. Sleep apnea is found to be aggravated by the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claim is primarily that his currently diagnosed psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depressive disorders) is aggravated by the residuals of his service-connected fracture of mandible, left subcondylar region. The Board has determined additional development is needed to address this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes or a cardiac disability, including coronary artery disease. Therefore, service connection is denied for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of a chronic acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension or hypertensive heart disease, or bilateral knee disability during service. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, concluding that her psychiatric disability was not caused by or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with mild depression. The claim for hypertension was reopened, but not granted. The claim for dermatitis/seborrheic dermatitis remains pending.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety NOS, and depression, has been dismissed as the Veteran indicated a desire to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the full scope of his service-connected gastrointestinal disorder and whether there are any standalone physiological manifestations. The TDIU claim will be deferred pending completion of this development.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and there is no credible evidence linking his current psychiatric conditions to service. The claim for service connection for depression and anxiety disorders is denied as the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran has PTSD as a result of events during service and fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have PTSD related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to her 18th birthday, and therefore does not meet the criteria for recognition as a helpless child.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's depressive disorder was rated at 50 percent prior to April 1, 2014 and later granted a 70 percent rating as of that date. The issue of TDIU remains denied.

The Veteran's major depression disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.