Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, and for increased ratings for lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the low spine is granted. The claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD (major depressive disorder), are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor and his current psychiatric conditions. The Veteran will need to provide deck logs from his service on the USCGC McLane, and a VA examination is needed to determine if his current diagnoses are related to his military service or his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection is denied.,Service connection for COPD is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service, including exposure to Agent Orange.,An acquired psychiatric disorder (likely to include PTSD and Depression) is not service-connected as there is insufficient evidence connecting current symptoms to military service.,Thrombosis, poor circulation, and edema are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and major neurocognitive disorder. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, and headaches have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for PTSD and depression. The claim for increased rating for urinary incontinence is denied as there is no evidence of renal dysfunction. The claim for increased rating for lumbosacral strain with IVDS remains pending.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, has been manifested by symptoms indicative of no more than occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking or mood. The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for schizoid personality disorder, depression, and PTSD as there was no current diagnosis of PTSD and the evidence did not support a link between any diagnosed conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Depression, finding that there was no verified in-service stressor and insufficient evidence linking his current psychiatric conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD and Depression are granted as service-connected.,Chronic Fatigue is granted as service-connected. The connection to service-connected PTSD and Depression is established.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and depression were denied. The right and left knee disabilities are rated as 10 percent each under Diagnostic Code 5257, which pertains to instability of the knees. The back disability is rated as 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5243. The Veteran's initial rating for his depression prior to September 26, 2018, was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition and major depressive disorder due to lack of a VA examination, as well as additional evidence not yet considered by the RO.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The left and right foot frostbite residuals are rated at the maximum schedular rating of 30 percent, with no extra-schedular consideration granted. The Veteran was not found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are service-connected, but denied his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain clarifying opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's death is considered to be due to his service-connected Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which the Board finds was a contributory cause of his suicide.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability, specifically glaucoma, has been denied as there is no evidence of such condition during service or related to service. The Veteran was found not to have had glaucoma at the time of his separation from service and currently does not have it.,Service connection for depression has also been denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing a current diagnosis of depression.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee condition, right knee condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder) due to a lack of current disability diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hemorrhoids and hypertension, as well as an increased rating for major depressive disorder, were granted. The claim for service connection for hemorrhoids was denied due to lack of current diagnosis. A 10 percent initial rating was granted for hypertension. Major depressive disorder remains at a 70 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 2, 2009 for the Veteran's 70 percent disability rating for PTSD with major depression. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for stress disorder was reopened and granted. Service connection for depressive disorder is also granted, with the disability considered secondary to his service-connected conditions. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are both rated at their maximum allowable levels. His knee disabilities and other conditions remain under review.