Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's left knee disability, status post TKA is restored to a 60 percent rating effective November 1, 2014. The Veteran also has been granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and depressive disorder NOS are found to be secondary to his service-connected disabilities, specifically his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's MDD and anxiety were not shown during service, nor are they related to his military service. The Board denied the claim for service connection as there is no separate pathology to connect to service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD should be remanded due to lack of adequate VA examinations and outstanding treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, sleep apnea, and major depressive disorder due to incomplete records from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and inconsistent reports within the record regarding these conditions. The VA will need to obtain SSA records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to address inconsistencies in his diagnoses.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is rated at 40 percent from December 23, 2015. The earlier effective date of August 9, 2005 for service connection has been granted.,The Veteran’s depressive disorder remains rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran is granted service connection for Parkinson’s disease, cervical dystonia as secondary to Parkinson's disease, and depression as secondary to Parkinson's disease due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence from Social Security Administration (SSA) records and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder with recurrent major depression is rated at 70 percent since August 15, 2012. The Board has determined that a higher rating of 100 percent is not warranted due to the severity of his disability. Additionally, the Veteran meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including a major neurocognitive disorder resulting from a TBI and depressive disorder), and hypertension. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected PTSD is remanded due to the need for a new examination and opinion regarding the severity of his PTSD, as well as whether his unspecified depressive disorder is related or aggravated by his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected PTSD is remanded due to the need for a new examination and opinion regarding the severity of his PTSD, as well as whether his unspecified depressive disorder is related or aggravated by his PTSD.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is found to be related to his in-service stressors. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety) due to incomplete service treatment records. The VA will attempt to verify the Veteran’s periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training, obtain his complete service treatment records, and provide a new opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is rated at 70 percent prior to December 3, 2013, and denied for a higher rating. The appeal is not about service connection but rather the level of disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence indicating that his acquired psychiatric disorder or PTSD is related to his service. The new medical evidence of record does not show a link between the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and his service.

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymia, claimed as depression, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a fracture to the left ankle. The effective date is September 28, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a low back disability secondary to service-connected knee disabilities and increased ratings for PFS and DJD of the right and left knees. The Veteran's claims will be further evaluated with new examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.