Depression Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions from previous VA and private evaluations, requiring a new examination to determine if the Veteran's depressive disorder is secondary to his service-connected tinnitus and stomach ulcers.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, fatigue, bowel incontinence, bladder incontinence, headaches, acquired psychiatric disability (including depression and anxiety), and sleep disorder are related to her treatment at VA facilities. The claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development regarding his claims of increased ratings and service connection. The Board will not continue to consider the initial rating claim until this additional evidence has been considered.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for his thoracic spine disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inconsistencies in the evidence and need for additional development, including verification of a reported stressor and obtaining VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and depressive disorder require the need for regular aid and attendance of another, resulting in a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for A&A. The appeal concerning SMC based on housebound status is dismissed as moot because the Veteran now receives SMC at a higher rate.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of all issues on appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has remanded the claims due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations, and requests new examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's upper extremity neuropathy and depression disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for depression, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied. The VA found no evidence of a service-connected stressor related to military sexual trauma (MST) and concluded that the current mental health symptoms are not due to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, depression, or anxiety due to personal trauma. The issue of service connection for endometriosis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and migraine headaches do not meet the criteria for service connection due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depression, PTSD, and alcohol dependence, are currently diagnosed but the Board is unable to determine their etiology without an additional VA examination.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder, finding that September 30, 2009 is the earliest assignable effective date as it corresponds to the date of receipt of the claim upon which benefits were ultimately awarded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for involuntary back muscle spasms, kidney disability (including kidney disease), memory loss, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) due to service at Camp Lejeune. The July 2013 VA medical opinion is inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's prior medical history and examinations or address his full contentions regarding the relationship of his disabilities to contaminants in the water supply during service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and clarification, including service connection claims for sleep disturbances, depression, a left ear condition, and chronic pain in the back. The Veteran's appeal to establish TDIU is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his service connection claims for major depressive disorder, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and low back disability. The appeals are now on their merits.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted his claim for TDIU.