Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for depression is granted, with a 70% evaluation effective from February 5, 2016. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's PTSD symptoms but does not grant service connection.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death due to PTSD or other service-connected condition, as there was no link between the Veteran's reported in-service stressors and his current psychiatric disabilities. The Appellant's and friend's statements were not competent to state that the Veteran’s psychiatric disorders were caused by an event in service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for fatigue, memory loss, anxiety, and depression due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's exposure is presumed based on his service at the base.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum opinion to address the nature and etiology of his current diagnoses.

The veteran's service is not considered qualifying due to the short duration and lack of a service-connected disability at discharge. Therefore, he does not meet the eligibility criteria for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective November 18, 2008. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude her from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The appeals concerning the claims of residuals of a left eye injury, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating, and thus denies an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected chronic pulmonary condition.,The Veteran's service-connected depression is granted as related to his service-connected disabilities.,An earlier effective date of June 4, 2013 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is granted.,An earlier effective date of November 23, 2009 for the grant of service connection for a chronic pulmonary condition with restrictive and obstructive lung disease is granted.,The Veteran's claim for higher disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% disability evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.,The Veteran's potential eligibility under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims and will be addressed on remand.

The Board has granted service connection for depression with anxiety, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it is related to service.

The Board has ordered a new VA medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his April 2012 VA medical care, specifically the treatment for knee replacement surgery.

The Board has granted service connection for diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma and secondary service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates related to her service-connected ankylosing spondylitis and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression. The Board has found that the VA examinations conducted in March 2018 did not adequately address functional loss due to flare-ups, as required by a recent Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) order.,The Veteran is also seeking an earlier effective date for her service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection for depression and PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including a lack of in-patient treatment records from Germany. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic bronchitis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and depression have been granted. The effective date of the grant is January 7, 2013.,Service connection has also been granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy with a rating of 10 percent effective February 26, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and examination regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, characterized as major depressive disorder, has been rated at 30 percent. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's excessive UTIs, bladder stones, and related psychiatric conditions are not deemed to be additional disabilities resulting from VA care.,Left wrist tendonitis is also not considered an additional disability due to VA treatment.