Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to address the etiology of his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral leg paralysis was reopened and granted. Service connection for depression, related to his service-connected TBI, chronic headaches, and hearing loss, was also granted. The claim for service connection for dizziness is pending as the evidence is insufficient to determine its relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA records and a medical opinion from a psychiatrist to determine the nature of his current psychiatric disabilities and their likely etiology.

The Board found that the Veteran's reported medical expenses for 2004 and 2005 were not sufficient to reduce his countable income below the maximum annual pension rate, thus denying his claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, will be remanded to allow for a more thorough examination and opinion regarding the nature of his current diagnoses and their relationship to military service.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms prior to September 8, 2014 did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of all periods of active duty and inactive duty training, obtaining updated treatment records, corroborating stressors reported by the appellant, and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder has been rated at 50 percent since September 16, 2010. The Board granted a higher rating of 70 percent effective the same date for his PTSD and also found that he is unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist sprain and right ankle sprain was received on April 10, 2014. The Board finds that the earliest claim for entitlement to benefits for both a left wrist sprain and a right ankle sprain was received on April 10, 2014.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression and anxiety), cervical spine disability, hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and low back disability are all related to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, OCD, and PTSD, finding that there was no valid diagnosis of PTSD based on verified in-service stressors. The Veteran's depression is not considered secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims require additional information and evidence, specifically regarding his exposure to herbicides during service. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including PTSD and depression. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these disorders.

The Veteran's current psychiatric symptoms are related to his service-connected OCD, and he does not meet the criteria for separate diagnoses of anxiety, depression, or PTSD.

The Board has found the previous examinations inadequate and ordered a new examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including schizoaffective disorder, depression, and cannabis, cocaine and alcohol dependence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, and depression, are not related to service. Huntington's disease is considered a congenital condition with no evidence of aggravation during service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current major depressive disorder is at least as likely as not secondary to his service-connected chronic lumbar strain with degenerative changes and disc disease.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD was granted, and the issue of a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left ankle disability is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current PTSD was incurred during her military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in her favor.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The claim for service connection of drug abuse and TDIU remains pending.