Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a June 2012 robotic prostatectomy, as further development is needed.

The Board is unable to make a final decision on the Veteran's claim for higher ratings for major depressive disorder because additional development is necessary, including obtaining his private mental health treatment records.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD are rated at a 70 percent disability level since November 1, 2015. The TDIU claim is granted from June 4, 2007 to May 11, 2008.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and PTSD, as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (excluding PTSD) is denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis and insufficient link between the claimed in-service stressor and current symptoms.,Service connection for PTSD is denied. The Veteran did not meet all criteria, including credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred.,Service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, cervical degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and bilateral hip disability are all denied.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, was not incurred or aggravated during service. The Board found clear and unmistakable evidence that the preexisting condition existed prior to service.,The Veteran’s alcohol use disorder is considered a result of his own willful misconduct and was not caused by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 30 percent, but the Board has granted a higher rating of 70 percent for the entire period on appeal.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for TDIU prior to August 26, 2008.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain treatment records from the Veteran's Vet Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeals.

The Veteran's claims for extraschedular ratings and TDIU were denied as her service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for such determinations.,The Board found that the Veteran’s service-connected conditions, including lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and major depressive disorder, are adequately contemplated by the current schedular ratings.

The Veteran's claim of a higher initial rating for PTSD/MDD is denied. The claim of service connection for insomnia is granted.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations regarding these claims were inadequate and remanded for further action. The Veteran's hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, bilateral eye blindness, back disability, right hip disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, left ankle disability, and psychiatric disability (depression) are all being reviewed due to their inextricable connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD, due to inadequate examination and reasoning. The case is returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder, including an anxiety disorder and depressive disorders due to incomplete development of records from the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than depression disorder, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a diagnosis or link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his brain tumor and seizure disorder, render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to their severity. The Board has granted entitlement to special monthly compensation based on this need.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including MDD and SA. The Board found that there was no diagnosis of PTSD during the appeal period and that any pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's insomnia is found to be a symptom of their service-connected PTSD and persistent depressive disorder, thus service connection for insomnia is granted.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.