Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be at least as likely due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically chronic pain from those conditions.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's depression was not related to his active service or a service-connected disability. The Board also found no evidence of PTSD and denied secondary service connection based on alcohol abuse.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability is rated at the highest available level of 100 percent, and he is granted a TDIU. The gastrointestinal disorder and erectile dysfunction are remanded for further examination to determine their relationship to his service-connected conditions. The left knee disability remains at 10 percent.

The appeal to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder strain is granted. The Veteran's right shoulder strain was incurred in service and the claim is reopened. Service connection for a right shoulder disability is also granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are found to be related to military sexual trauma (MST) during service. The sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's depression is granted as secondary to her service-connected left knee disability. The evaluation for her peroneal nerve disability remains at 20 percent, and the evaluations for her left knee instability and limitation of flexion are remanded.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD that meets the DSM criteria for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including bladder disability, psychiatric disorders (including PTSD and depression), sleep apnea, varicose veins, liver damage, erectile dysfunction, bicep disabilities, knee disabilities, ankle disabilities, low back disability, scar and numbness of the back, right wrist disability, missing tooth disability, eye disability (chronic conjunctivitis), bronchitis, and asthma. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service or do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder and remanded the issues of hypertension, right shoulder arthritis, surgical scars of the right shoulder, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD, substance abuse, and ulcer. The Veteran's claims are inextricably intertwined with his claim for TDIU due to the need to determine whether he is entitled to service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's depression may be a separate condition from his PTSD, and needs further clarification through medical examination.

The Board has decided that the appellant's alcohol use disorder is not secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder and thus remands for further examination.

The Board has granted a 100% evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder with history of dysthymic disorder, effective from the date of the decision. The criteria for this rating were met based on severe social and industrial impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, depressive disorder with pain disorder, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity conditions have been remanded. The effective dates for the grant of service connection for depressive disorder with pain disorder have also been denied.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for linear scars of the chest and abdomen are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional evidence. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and PTSD, is being reviewed.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and PTSD, are granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical spondylosis with left-sided radiculopathy and degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, previously rated as a mood disorder prior to October 15, 2013, is granted an increased rating of 50 percent. The appeal for a higher rating in excess of 50 percent is denied.

The Veteran's cause of death is service-connected, and the claim for DIC benefits was granted effective July 7, 2015. The appeal for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but did not meet the criteria for a rating more than 50 percent. The Veteran was also denied TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities alone not rendering her unemployable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and paranoid schizophrenia) due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran was not provided with a valid VA examination for his hearing loss claim, and he needs to be scheduled for another one. For his psychiatric disorder claim, a VA examination is needed to determine if it is at least as likely as not that the condition had its onset during service or is related to any in-service disease, event, or injury.