Depression Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of compliance with previous instructions regarding a VA examination. The Veteran is entitled to an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Veteran's disability rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depressive disorders) has been reduced from 70% to 50%. The appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records.

The Veteran's gout is granted with an initial rating of 60 percent, effective April 1, 2016. Other service connection claims are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right hand condition, ankle disorder, and major depression, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to September 13, 2013. The Board granted TDIU for this period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to lack of a current diagnosis. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and/or bipolar disorder, related to his left shoulder disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board has also remanded the cases of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with MDD, has been reopened and granted. The Board found that the evidence raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims and concluded that there is sufficient credible supporting evidence to establish the in-service stressor as the proximate cause of the current psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, migraine headaches, and TDIU are dismissed as the claims have been fully resolved. The Veteran's bilateral tinea pedis is denied due to lack of a medical link between current condition and in-service tinea pedis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and needs a new one with a different examiner.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the appellant's death.

The Board denied service connection for menorrhagia with pelvic pain, anemia (secondary to menorrhagia), and major depression (secondary to menorrhagia) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, allergies, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as major depressive disorder), and hypertension have been remanded. The reduction from a 10 percent to a zero percent rating for radiculopathy, left lower extremity effective June 23, 2015 was improper.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The evidence submitted since the March 2016 rating decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as 0 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. The claim will be remanded for further development.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition (major depressive disorder) remains pending as the Veteran's claims have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and TDIU due to unresolved medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD. The Veteran's claim for service connection will be reconsidered after obtaining an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities (polyneuropathy) is remanded due to a lack of updated private treatment records from his lifetime providers.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is remanded.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, to include GERD, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for depression and anxiety, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal includes issues related to lung cancer, neurobehavioral effects from Camp Lejeune exposure, a scar status post left kidney removal, and major depression. The Board has remanded several of these issues for further development.,An effective date prior to June 29, 2009 is granted for the increased rating of 50 percent for major depression.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was not shown to be incurred in service and there is no credible supporting evidence of the claimed stressors. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service stressor for PTSD and the need for a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric conditions.