Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for residuals of bypass gastric surgery has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's diagnosed major depressive disorder and its relation to his service. The VA is instructed to obtain private psychiatric treatment records from D.D., LCSW and Transitions Counseling, and provide an addendum opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s diagnosed MDD.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability is found to be the cause of his urinary incontinence, and a separate 60 percent rating for this condition is granted. The issues of service connection for MDD and PTSD are remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has denied service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Prostatitis, and Acquired Psychiatric Disorder. The claim for increased rating of Heart Disability is remanded. Further development is needed to determine the etiology of Pancreatitis.

The Veteran's depression is rated at 50 percent effective January 1, 2018. This rating reflects significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the case is no longer under consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of bilateral lower extremity cellulitis, bilateral hip arthritis, and throat polyps. The Veteran is also granted an increased rating for his prostatitis with BPH.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as he continued to work full-time or receive leave benefits.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than January 20, 2012 for the grant of service connection for lumbar spine disability and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder) were both denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of current bilateral hearing loss disability.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected sinusitis with headaches is granted. The Board resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The appeal to reopen a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a mental condition is reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including depression and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and in-service events or stressors.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the issue regarding asthma. The claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, PTSD, residuals of a stroke, and depression/anxiety have been reopened but denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD with MDD prior to May 23, 2018 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher than 50 percent rating. For TDIU prior to May 23, 2018, the Veteran's combined disability rating at the time did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hiatal hernia with GERD, bilateral shin splints, allergic rhinitis, hypertension, hemorrhoids, right wrist sprain, left wrist sprain, thoracolumbar spine disability, and bilateral pes planus were granted effective July 1, 2016. Claims for other conditions are denied as they were not received within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective December 5, 2017. The rating reflects significant occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

Service connection for left eye dermatochalasis is restored effective May 1, 2018.,Service connection for major depressive disorder is restored effective January 1, 2020.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and requires additional development. The claims of service connection for depressive disorder, heart disability, and gastrointestinal disorder are being reviewed.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder, depressive with alcohol dependence syndrome is rated at 70 percent disabling as of August 8, 2011. The Board found the symptoms more closely approximated a 70 percent evaluation due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.