Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development due to the need to address his claim of obesity as a result of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service records and confirming stressor events. The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities will be evaluated to determine if they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, PTSD, and depression, is related to his active military service. The claim for acid reflux will be remanded as additional development is needed.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 17, 1981 for the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder. The Veteran's claim was pending and reopened due to new evidence submitted within a year of his discharge from service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, as well as psoriasis. The Veteran's claims were not adjudicated on the basis of a specific exposure basis or presumption.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for major depression associated with chronic lumbosacral strain was granted, and he is now receiving a 70 percent rating effective from August 3, 2009.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as PTSD with anxiety and depression, has been rated at 50 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The claim for a higher rating remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder and major depressive disorder, was not incurred or aggravated during his military service. The evidence did not establish a nexus between his current condition and his time in service.

The Board granted service connection for depression as it was incurred in service, and denied the other claimed conditions due to lack of evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for an additional disability as a result of a lung biopsy.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was found to have a level II hearing and speech recognition of 94 percent, resulting in a noncompensable evaluation. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for his service-connected left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a higher initial disability rating of 50 percent prior to June 1, 2011, and a 70 percent rating from June 1, 2011. The TDIU claim is also granted.

The Veteran's major depression and associated symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but total occupational and social impairment was not shown. A 70 percent rating is granted for the period prior to October 4, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression has resulted in occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 70 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including verification of claimed stressor events and a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, hearing loss of the right ear, and depression. The Veteran's low back disability is not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by service. Hearing loss of the right ear was also not shown to be related to service. Depression is not considered to be related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and her acquired psychiatric disorder is not related to service, including an alleged personal assault. The claim was denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety disorder, and MDD. The evidence received since the December 1974 denial includes VA treatment records noting diagnoses of MDD, PTSD, and anxiety disorder, as well as statements from the Veteran asserting that these diagnoses were predicated on in-service trauma.

The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities other than PTSD are found to be due to substance abuse and not service-connected.