Depression decisions — 2019

The Board has dismissed the claim of service connection for a lower back disability due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The remaining issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his military service and his current mental health conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, anxiety disorder not otherwise specified, and PTSD. The claim for a stressor-related disorder is also granted.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 22, 2010 for the assignment of a 10 percent rating for left knee arthritis.,The Board has also granted an effective date of December 22, 2010 for the establishment of service connection for major depressive disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left hip disorder, right hip disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), acid reflux, and headaches. The decisions were based on lack of evidence supporting these claims or because they are not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depression, is remanded due to the lack of a medical opinion on the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorder. The case requires further development with a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder is related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, increased rating for degenerative arthritis, cervical spine, and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to clarify whether the Veteran currently has PTSD or any acquired psychiatric disorder under the full criteria of the DSM V, as required under 38 C.F.R. § 4.125.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, MDD, and alcohol dependence, is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with this initial rating claim.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for unspecified trauma related disorder and unspecified depressive disorder has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's initial ratings for migraine headaches and unspecified depressive disorder (UDD) have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, is reopened. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between his current diagnoses and military service.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder is rated at a 70 percent disability rating effective February 19, 2013. He is granted TDIU and DEA from this date.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including whether PTSD had its onset during service or is otherwise related to service. The Veteran's in-service stressors need to be verified.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for her service-connected depressive disorder and IBS are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a depressive disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression disorder has been granted a 100% rating, effective from the date of the grant of service connection (December 2, 2010). The issue of entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability is moot due to the grant of a 100% rating for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The issue of service connection for depression is remanded due to the Veteran's testimony indicating it may be related to his hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, are related to his service. The examiner is asked to consider whether the reported stressor during basic training caused PTSD and to provide a rationale for any opinions.