Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and other conditions. The VA must obtain a new opinion from an appropriate examiner.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depression symptoms prior to May 21, 2019 more nearly approximated the criteria for total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent rating.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and psychosis NOS. The Veteran's statements regarding his in-service stressor have been deemed credible and supporting evidence of the in-service stressor. His acquired psychiatric disorder is related to a traumatic event during basic training involving a gas chamber.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The nature and etiology of his psychiatric symptoms, including adjustment disorder, remain at issue and require further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and depression. The issues of service connection for these conditions are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including consideration of additional VA treatment records and a VA examination. The issue of rating higher than 70 percent for adjustment disorder with mixed depression and anxiety and undifferentiated somatoform disorder is still pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims are granted in part, as they relate to his psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected other specified trauma-stressor related disorder. The effective date for the grant of a 70 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss and a 50 percent rating for other specified trauma-stressor related disorder is set at November 29, 2013.

The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen her previously denied claim of service connection for PTSD, and has determined that she meets the criteria for service connection due to a link between her in-service sexual assault and her current PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including a recent PTSD stressor statement and assertions of secondary service connection for tinnitus. The VA examiner is required to determine if the current psychiatric disability is related to service or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, psychiatric disorders (including anxiety disorder and PTSD), and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating and earlier effective date for depressive disorder was denied.,The Veteran's depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective March 31, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of proper notification and for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for a supplemental medical opinion considering in-service exposures and ongoing symptoms.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded as there may be an issue with verifying exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ should verify whether the USS Coral Sea was within the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of Vietnam while the Veteran was aboard.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion considering his asserted in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's skin disability is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion addressing whether it is related to bare-skin exposure to jet fuel during service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and a mood disorder) is being remanded as there may be issues with verifying in-service stressors. The AOJ should attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors involving witnessing the death of a fellow serviceman aboard the USS Coral Sea during the '1967 cruise'.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertension, hiatal hernia, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded as secondary to his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ should attempt to obtain VA treatment records from Portland VAMC for the period between 1970 and 2002.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated VA audiological examination records, which may provide evidence of a worsening disorder.,The Veteran's ear infection disability is being remanded as there may be issues with obtaining relevant private treatment records. The AOJ should attempt to obtain these records and complete any necessary requests.

The Veteran's right and left foot conditions, sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea), arthritis (systemic process), right and left shoulder conditions, neck condition, erectile dysfunction, migraines (secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine), and major depressive disorder (secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine) are not found to be related to his military service.,The Veteran's DJD of the spine, right lower radiculopathy, and left lower radiculopathy have been remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for a cervical spine disorder and asthma. The remaining issues have been remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to new and material evidence received. The case is also remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed mental health condition.

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis C and ED, but denied service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, COPD, seizures, MDD, and hypertension. The new evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for eczematous dermatitis prurigo nodularis was denied as the evidence did not show systemic manifestations associated with the skin condition.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his 60 percent rating for eczematous dermatitis prurigo nodularis was denied because the increase in disability occurred more than one year prior to the date of claim.,Service connection for a depressive disorder was granted, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the depressive disorder was also granted.,The claims to reopen service connection for cervical spine, low back, and right knee disabilities were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Hypertension, prostate cancer, anemia, and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity were all denied as not incurred or aggravated by service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The claim of service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety is reopened. Service connection for PTSD is granted. The claims for TBI and migraine headaches are remanded.