Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the cause of death and whether service connection can be granted. The appeal is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's initial rating for his depressive disorder with schizoid personality traits is being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is denied as there is no credible supporting evidence of the claimed in-service stressor events, and his diagnoses do not meet the criteria for PTSD based on verified stressors.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including a substance-induced mood disorder and depression, as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including depression, adjustment disorder, and dysthymia, due to clear and unmistakable evidence that the pre-existing psychiatric condition existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD that is linked to his documented in-service stressor, and therefore grants service connection for PTSD. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for an effective date of May 12, 1981 for service connection for PTSD and remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to July 1, 2003.

Service connection for depression is granted. The claims for higher initial disability ratings for right ankle and left knee disabilities, as well as the claim for an earlier effective date for left knee scar, are dismissed. Service connection for a right knee disability and a left ankle disability is remanded. The claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied. The claim for an increased rating for sinusitis is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further examination of her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder with panic attacks is related to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. The decision on depression and cognitive impairment remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is remanded. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, insomnia, and depression. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service stressors and inadequate examination reports. The Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination to determine if he has an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, and Depression.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that her current diagnosis of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder did not have onset during active service or be otherwise related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and remanded the issues of impotence, cervical spine/spinal cord condition, bowel dysfunction, bladder dysfunction, loss of sensory and motor function of the bilateral upper extremities, and loss of sensory and motor function of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for unspecified depressive disorder is denied. The initial rating of 30% from July 23, 2013 to March 16, 2017 is upheld. A new increased rating of 50% beginning March 17, 2017 is also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of nasal fracture, and denied service connection for depression, OSA, and hypertension.,The Board also denied a compensable evaluation for residuals of a nasal fracture.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for hypertension, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety and nervous conditions), and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depression have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, which is why TDIU has been granted.