Depression decisions — 2019

The Veteran's PTSD and depressive disorder, along with alcohol abuse in remission, are rated at a 100 percent due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability, right eye disability, erectile dysfunction, headache disability, PTSD, and Major Depressive Disorder have been reopened.,Service connection has been granted for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant, who was substituted as the claimant.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded due to a request to participate in the RAMP program. The issues of service connection and evaluation for various conditions are being reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying his claimed exposure to herbicides in Thailand. The issues of service connection for PTSD, COPD, degenerative arthritis, eczematous dermatosis, GERD, hepatitis C, and an acquired psychiatric disorder remain unresolved.

The Veteran's request for an increased rating for residuals of head trauma and TDIU as a result of service-connected disabilities was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating or TDIU status.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability ratings for lumbar strain and major depressive disorder, but has remanded her claims for increased ratings.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, are remanded due to the need for a VA examination to clarify their etiology and relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted an initial 70 percent evaluation, effective February 27, 2017. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) has been added to the appeal and remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion. The current evidence does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD based on in-service stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for adjustment disorder with mild to moderate anxiety and depression, finding that his current mental health issues are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. Service connection for skin cancer, polyarthralgia, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder are denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including those from private rehabilitation treatment, and to provide a new opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability has been reopened, but the Board is remanding it due to lack of evidence. The psychiatric claims are also being remanded as new medical opinions are needed.

The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, depression and adjustment disorder is remanded. New and material evidence having been received, the claim of entitlement to service connection for a nervous condition is reopened.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as PTSD and major depressive disorder with alcohol dependency and psychotic features, is due to in-service stressors. Service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development of records and need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder is granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran also received a grant for TDIU and his claim for an increased rating for degenerative disc disease with osteoarthritis, L3-L5 was remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a comprehensive examination.