Depression Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, neurocognitive disorder (dementia)) due to lack of evidence supporting the existence of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder and alcohol and/or cannabis use disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of these conditions and that they are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The decision also includes remand items for further review and evidence collection.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, was dismissed because the Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal prior to a Board decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder, finding that the Veteran's psychiatric disability had its onset in service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The case is remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions including bilateral metatarsalgia, right knee chondromalacia patella and degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, major depression, anxiety, GERD, hiatal hernia, IBS, gastroenteritis, and sleep apnea. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions began during active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and sleep apnea due to potential in-service stressors during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Additional development is needed to verify these stressors and obtain a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a scar from pacemaker surgery was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for ischemic heart disease (including myocardial infarction) was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for the scar from pacemaker surgery was denied.,The Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability based on service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to support his claims of lumbar back disability secondary to leg disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for GERD is also granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lumbar back disability secondary to leg disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are all granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and alcohol use disorder, has been reopened. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim. However, the case is remanded as there are conflicting medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any current acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine and lumbar strain, an acquired psychiatric disorder (previously claimed as PTSD), and obstructive sleep apnea. Service connection was denied for multiple myeloma.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than July 12, 2006, for a grant of service connection for major depressive disorder. The decision was based on the finality of previous decisions and the prohibition against collaterally attacking prior final decisions.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with psychotic features rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 13, 2012. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on this finding.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including OCD and somatic disorder, as well as depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. These conditions are presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for PTSD, right ear hearing loss, and increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, DJD of the bilateral knees, and bilateral foot calluses and left foot plantar wart were dismissed. The Veteran was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety and depression.

The Veteran is entitled to the maximum Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) benefits due to his discharge from active duty due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD and depression, NOS resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas from February 10, 2009 to May 31, 2016. A 70 percent rating was granted for this period.

The Veteran's PTSD with a history of major depression is rated at 70 percent, effective December 14, 2012. The appeal for higher ratings was denied.