Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder) due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's scars, disfigurement of the head, neck, and face as residuals of cystic acne are granted a 50% rating from September 3, 2009. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and adjustment disorder) is remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete information about his education and employment history, as well as the need for updated VA treatment records and a new psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive disorder, on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected back and neck disabilities. The claim for sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a separate sleep or fatigue disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran must undergo a medical examination to determine if any diagnosed conditions are related to in-service stressors.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, and unspecified psychotic disorder. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for his lower back, cervical spine, acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder), and headaches. The claim for bilateral foot disability has not met the criteria for reopening.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including coronary arteriosclerosis, hypertension, depression, headaches, peripheral vascular disease, and neuropathy. The VA will obtain relevant Social Security Administration records and arrange for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's coronary arteriosclerosis.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart condition, bilateral lung condition (secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II), and bilateral kidney condition (secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II).

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's injuries, finding that they were due to his own willful misconduct during a February 1985 altercation.

The Veteran's right knee disability status post total knee replacement is rated at 60 percent, effective from December 1, 2010. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his inability to work due to these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the May 2010 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted.,New evidence has been submitted that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions provided by VA examiners and the need for updated records. The Veteran's entire service personnel record should be obtained, as well as updated VA treatment records from August 2014 to the present.

The Veteran's claims for left ankle, right ankle, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus disabilities were denied. The claim of service connection for anxiety and depression secondary to PTSD was granted. However, the Board found no current disability for the left knee.

The Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation greater than 10 percent for coronary artery disease and service connection for depression/anxiety (claimed as secondary to service connected conditions) are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of depression before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted a 70 percent rating, prostate cancer residuals are denied any increase in rating beyond the current 20 percent, and he is awarded a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service in various ways. Service connection was granted for an unspecified depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), epilepsy, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain/dysfunction.