Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for epilepsy and granted it. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is also considered in light of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and major depressive disorder have been denied. The issue of reopening the claim for major depressive disorder has also been addressed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to incomplete VA treatment records and unverified stressors. The case is now pending for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural defects, specifically the failure to issue a statement of the case for his claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disability, confusion, lack of concentration and depression (claimed as Gulf War illness), and chronic fatigue syndrome (claimed as Gulf War illness).

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder is service-connected, and his sleep apnea is secondary to this condition. The Board finds no evidence of asbestos exposure or other conditions related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's son, KCD, is permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining age 18 due to mental health conditions including a learning disorder and social communication disorders. The VA examiner's opinion supports this finding.

The combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left hand disability and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA records from March 2017 and scheduling a VA examination. The issues include rating major depressive disorder, rating Scheuermann's thoracic kyphosis, and determining eligibility for total unemployability based on service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the right knee based on a finding that it is presumptively related to service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran. The other issues remain pending and are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a verified in-service stressor event and therefore cannot establish service connection for PTSD. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, is denied as there is no evidence of any in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected residuals of a right knee injury and a right ankle injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including secondary cannabis use disorder. The rating assigned is 30 percent for the thoracic spine disability.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorders. The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and to ensure all relevant records are obtained.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating for his hemorrhoids or bilateral onychocryptosis, and that he failed to establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of verification of the stressor upon which PTSD diagnosis was based.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (panic disorder with depression, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss) may result in unemployability. The VA has not yet properly developed the TDIU claim by obtaining SSA records and completing a VA Form 21-4192 from his former employers.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claims for PTSD with depression and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine are no longer before the Board.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is caused by his service-connected lower back condition and/or depressive disorder, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current mood/depressive disorder, NOS, did not have its onset during service or is otherwise due to a disease or injury during active military service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and anxiety disability have not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for major depressive disorder, memory loss, heart disability, and sleep disorder has also been denied.,There is no service connection granted for any condition.