Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his psychiatric and low back conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection due to new and material evidence showing a link between current mental health conditions and active service. The Veteran's PTSD is presumed related to his in-service stressors, including his time during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder. The Veteran will need to undergo a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his service.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical disability and depression, finding no evidence of in-service injury or diagnosis related to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess the severity of his spine and knee conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder was dismissed. The Board also remanded the cases of degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine; right thigh disability; and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, finding that there is no evidence linking his current mental health conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and depression, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's CVS and whether it should be considered service-connected, either as a separate disability or related to his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and/or PTSD is granted. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examination and determine the etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right shoulder disability and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's right shoulder condition may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to confirm this. For his psychiatric disorder, an additional examination is required as the current one did not consider all stressors reported by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and depressive disorder. The case will be reviewed again with a focus on whether there is evidence of a superimposed acquired psychiatric condition resulting from the Veteran's personality disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and depression, bilateral tinnitus, excessive weight gain and obesity, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus, left index finger condition (not diagnosed), neck pain, lower back pain, COPD, dizziness, and chronic UTI and incontinence have been granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's PTSD diagnosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded in several instances due to insufficient evidence or need for further medical evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a Gulf War examination to assess the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, Hepatitis B, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and a back disability due to the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's tinnitus is already at the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent. The right knee disability and psychiatric disorders are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for personality disorder, claimed as passive aggressive personality passive aggressive type, manifested by abuse of drugs is reopened and granted. Other claims are also remanded.