Depression Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected migraine and duodenal ulcer. The Veteran's eye disorder is not established by the evidence, and his mood disorder is not service-connected.

The Veteran's PTSD symptomatology more nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a disability rating of 50 percent.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, GERD, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his active military service.

The Board found no credible evidence of the claimed in-service stressors for PTSD and denied both PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD. The Veteran's depression was diagnosed based on his reported history, but without a verified stressor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of depression or any other mental disorder, and therefore service connection for depression as secondary to his service-connected lumbar disc bulge is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for epilepsy and granted it. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is also considered in light of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and major depressive disorder have been denied. The issue of reopening the claim for major depressive disorder has also been addressed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to incomplete VA treatment records and unverified stressors. The case is now pending for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural defects, specifically the failure to issue a statement of the case for his claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disability, confusion, lack of concentration and depression (claimed as Gulf War illness), and chronic fatigue syndrome (claimed as Gulf War illness).

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder is service-connected, and his sleep apnea is secondary to this condition. The Board finds no evidence of asbestos exposure or other conditions related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's son, KCD, is permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining age 18 due to mental health conditions including a learning disorder and social communication disorders. The VA examiner's opinion supports this finding.

The combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left hand disability and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA records from March 2017 and scheduling a VA examination. The issues include rating major depressive disorder, rating Scheuermann's thoracic kyphosis, and determining eligibility for total unemployability based on service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the right knee based on a finding that it is presumptively related to service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran. The other issues remain pending and are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a verified in-service stressor event and therefore cannot establish service connection for PTSD. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, is denied as there is no evidence of any in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected residuals of a right knee injury and a right ankle injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including secondary cannabis use disorder. The rating assigned is 30 percent for the thoracic spine disability.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorders. The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and to ensure all relevant records are obtained.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating for his hemorrhoids or bilateral onychocryptosis, and that he failed to establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of verification of the stressor upon which PTSD diagnosis was based.