Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to his service-connected PTSD with major depression, and the Board finds service connection for hypertension is warranted.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent for the period starting March 8, 2010. The Board also found that he meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion from a VA psychiatrist or psychologist regarding the etiology of the Veteran's currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension (HTN) have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and MDD, warrants a disability rating of 50 percent prior to June 13, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction, render him unemployable due to their impact on his ability to perform substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for TBI, tinnitus, and post-traumatic headaches were denied. However, he was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder, are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address his claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression with anxiety was reopened and granted. The headaches are rated at a 30 percent rating prior to March 24, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as there is no legal basis for an increased rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus, and service connection for PTSD, depression, vertigo, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and arthritis of the feet were not established. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and notifying her of any inability to obtain the requested documents.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the claims have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and found that the Veteran's depression is related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus began within one year of active military service and is presumed to be related to his service.

The Veteran's service connection for persistent depressive disorder is granted, with a rating of 70 percent effective July 20, 2015. The Board finds that the Veteran suffers from frequent and severe symptoms of persistent depressive disorder, such as depressed mood, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, flattened affect, impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, and difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a worklike setting.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding SSA records and VA mental health treatment records, which need to be obtained and associated with the claim file.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for residuals of frostbite of the feet, but has granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's low back and psychiatric disabilities are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, finding that his symptoms are at least as likely as not related to his combat stressors during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder and assigned a 100% rating, effective July 29, 2008. The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms had an in-service onset.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of PTSD should be June 21, 2008.