Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient examination findings and lack of clarity regarding occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient examination findings and lack of clarity regarding occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected Major Depressive Disorder is rated at 50 percent prior to May 16, 2012. The rating was granted as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for major depressive disorder has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities have also been reopened and granted.

The Veteran's claim of major depressive disorder is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from the June 2015 VA examiner regarding its etiology and whether it is related to service, including military sexual trauma, in-service personality disorder, and service-connected PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability due to new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further medical evaluation.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete development and requests for additional information from the Veteran.

The Veteran's heart disability, which includes aortic heart valve disease, was granted a 100% evaluation effective from September 23, 2013. The Veteran's depressive disorder and hypertension were not found to warrant higher initial evaluations.

The Veteran's initial rating for service-connected major depressive disorder was granted at a 70 percent disability level, effective July 1, 2008. The appeal regarding sleep apnea and TDIU due to MDD is still pending.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and alcohol abuse are symptoms of his service-connected PTSD. The Board has granted a 100% rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his service-connected conditions, as well as the relationship between his current disabilities and his service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for hiatal hernia was granted, and service connection for hypertension, PTSD, obstructive sleep apnea, migraine headaches, lumbar spine disability, major depressive disorder, right little finger ankylosis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was denied. The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations for various conditions was also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records and need for further development, including obtaining inpatient treatment records from Fox Army Hospital and mental health treatment records. The VA will also provide an opinion on whether any of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his active duty service, including a reported in-service sexual assault.

The Veteran's depression is granted service connection, but his high blood pressure/hypertension and pancreatitis are denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains November 6, 2013.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability. The evidence shows that the Veteran's depression is caused by his ongoing pain from his service-connected shoulder condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disability, OSA, and headache disability. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for reopening of his service connection claims for various conditions due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a 100 percent rating for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is granted for the entire claim period. The appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depression, are related to his service in Saudi Arabia. The evidence is in equipoise regarding this relationship.