Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to active duty service and grants this claim. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression and PTSD, remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is proximately due to or a result of his service-connected trigeminy, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and occupational experiences.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, as well as his hypertension. The claims will be reviewed after this additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic cervical spine strain, residuals of a fractured mandible, and depression. The claim for PTSD was also denied due to lack of verified in-service stressor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and acquired psychiatric conditions, including non-specific depression disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA psychiatric examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected major depressive disorder. The TDIU issue cannot be adjudicated until the increased rating issue is addressed.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder (claimed as PTSD). The Board has determined that additional development is needed before this claim can be adjudicated.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as depressive disorder, is related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD has been granted a rating of 70 percent since January 23, 2006. The Veteran is also found unemployable due to his service-connected psychiatric disorders.

PTSD with depressive disorder, NOS, is rated at 50 percent prior to March 30, 2016 and at 70 percent thereafter. CAD is rated at 60 percent prior to January 1, 2015 and at 30 percent thereafter.,PTSD with depressive disorder, NOS, has been granted a higher rating from March 30, 2016 onwards. CAD remains at the same level of disability.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 15, 2009, for a TDIU was denied as her service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder NOS, and mixed personality disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 24, 2012 for service connection of depressive disorder was denied as there were no pending claims at the time. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a right knee disability claim, and entitlement to service connection for left knee, bilateral upper extremity, and bilateral foot disabilities are still pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD or anxiety disorder. The case is now remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including anxiety disorder and depression, based on new evidence submitted since the previous denial.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD and SAD, is etiologically related to her military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, did not originate during active service or as a result of his service-connected disabilities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea, which he contends was caused by his service-connected depressive disorder and migraine headaches. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing these claims.