Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for an examination to secure a fully adequate opinion.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and his variously diagnosed psychiatric disability are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain is remanded due to the need for an examination to secure a fully adequate opinion.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes cavus and claw foot with hallux valgus of the great toe and first metatarsal hammertoes is remanded due to the need for an examination to secure a fully adequate opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support such determinations.

The Veteran's claim for higher disability rating for lipoma remains pending. The Board has also remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, TDIU, and Dependents' Educational Assistance due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the nature of the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder and inadequate verification of stressor events in service. The Veteran needs to provide more details about his alleged stressors, and a new examination is required to determine if he has PTSD related to a verified event in service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The disability is currently rated at 50 percent but the evidence shows that it more closely approximates a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression, is granted as service connected due to exposure to combat-related stressors during Survival Training in November 1964.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) was denied in October 2008 due to lack of evidence linking ADD to his military service. The Board has now remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a chronic breathing disorder, and a mandibular fracture.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, TDIU, and increased rating for residuals of a right-hand fracture due to potential inconsistencies in diagnoses and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for unspecified depressive disorder is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's current depression is at least as likely as not caused by her in-service diagnosis and symptoms.,Service connection for low back disability, claimed as mild multilevel degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, to include as secondary to service-connected bilateral medial tibial stress syndrome, is remanded. An addendum opinion is needed before the merits can be decided.,The Veteran's service connection claim for cognitive impairment and memory impairment is remanded. The claims are related to her in-service exposure to environmental hazards and her service-connected depressive disorder.

The Board has dismissed all issues on appeal as the Veteran withdrew his appeals in June 2018.

The Veteran's claim to establish service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, claimed as secondary to a service-connected disability, is denied. The Board has reopened the previously-denied claim of major depression with polysubstance abuse and granted it.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, granted for some conditions, and remanded for others. The appeal is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100% rating for depressive disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, as well as bilateral hand scars. The evidence now shows current diagnoses of these conditions and a credible in-service injury that could be related to these disorders.

The Veteran's brain tumor residuals are granted service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, has been granted. The appeal to reopen the pension claim was also granted, but the higher rate of pension is denied due to the Veteran's income.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for his acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, a depressive disorder, and an anxiety disorder, is granted. The claim remains pending as the May 17, 2017, VA Form 9 constitutes a timely substantive appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder due to new and material evidence. The claims for service connection for a back disability, neck disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded as there is insufficient evidence in the record.