Depression Board decisions

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of increased rating for right knee disability, service connection for depression, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disability, and hypertension. The Veteran is also required to provide updated information regarding his entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's claimed stressors and for a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including verifying in-service stressors and obtaining VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be reopened due to new evidence submitted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted. The Board found that the evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD and established that it is related to his in-service stressor.

The Board has restored the Veteran's PTSD rating from 50% to 70%, finding that the reduction was not supported by evidence of improvement in his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting findings regarding PTSD and a current diagnosis of unspecified depressive disorder. A new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for PTSD, and whether any diagnosed psychiatric condition (other than PTSD) is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for additional examinations. The issues include bilateral foot disability, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), and a disability manifested as head pain.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically a depressive disorder, is granted as secondary to his service-connected Grave’s disease and headache disorder. The Veteran also meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and cognitive disorder not otherwise specified, was denied as it is not related to service.

The Veteran's Hepatitis C is rated at 20 percent disabling for the entire period on appeal. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition due to service-connected Hepatitis C is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress and bipolar disorder, first manifested during active duty service. The claim is granted, and an initial rating of 30 percent for bilateral collapsing pes planovalgus deformity prior to June 29, 2011 is also granted.

The Veteran's pancreatitis is now service-connected and rated at 100% effective October 22, 2007.,Service connection for depressive disorder with unspecified anxious distress has been granted.

The Board has determined that there is new and material evidence to reopen the claims for alcohol abuse, PTSD, and depressive disorder. The case will be remanded for further review of this new evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and headaches. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule the Veteran for a psychiatric examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, drug dependency, and alcoholism, are related to in-service head trauma.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, resulting in a grant of TDIU.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to withdraw his claims for service connection for TMJ and vertigo. The Board also found that the Veteran's thoracolumbar strain is service-connected, as are his acquired psychiatric disorder including anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, finding that there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of PTSD or any other mental health disorder related to his military service.

The Veteran's depressive disorder rating has been restored to 50 percent effective from December 29, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD because the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and did not manifest PTSD during the period on appeal. The evidence shows that the Veteran suffers from major depressive disorder, which is already service connected.