Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to address the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and any other diagnosed mental disorders. The claim for TDIU has also been raised by the record but must be adjudicated prior to deciding the initial rating issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot, left ankle and left shoulder conditions have been withdrawn.,The Veteran has been granted service connection for right hip degenerative joint disease, right foot fungal infections, pes cavus and degenerative joint disease of the right elbow, and depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected right foot and right elbow conditions.,Service connection was denied for a left hip condition due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. The Veteran's claims were based on her belief that she was sexually assaulted during service, but there is insufficient corroborating evidence.

The Veteran's schizophrenia with major depressive disorder is found to have been incurred in service.,PTSD was not diagnosed during the appeal period and thus, service connection for PTSD cannot be established.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and prostate cancer, along with erectile dysfunction, make him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to May 24, 2012. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, eye problems, dizziness, anxiety, depression, gout, diabetes mellitus (type II), and peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The effective date is not specified as the decision was issued in October 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder but denied the claim for an increased rating for residuals of colon cancer, finding that there is no current evidence linking the Veteran's symptoms to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right leg disorder, back disorder, headaches, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder have been granted. The effective date of the grant is not specified.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a depressive disorder and TDIU due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the depressive disorder to his military service or any service-connected condition, and concluded that he could engage in sedentary employment.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected asbestosis and depressive disorder, preventing him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation based on his education and work experiences.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to September 17, 2012. The Board granted a TDIU rating based on the combined disability rating of at least one disability rated as 40 percent or more.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for separate compensable evaluations for residuals of diabetes mellitus (DM) as there was no factually ascertainable increase in severity within one year prior to his March 4, 2012 informal claim. The effective date for the grant of service connection and separate ratings is therefore not earlier than March 4, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hepatitis C are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is found to be related to her service. The low back condition is not shown to be causally related to service or presumed due to exposure.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, has not met the criteria for a higher rating than 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, is being remanded due to the need to verify alleged in-service stressors.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 60 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5237 for intervertebral disc syndrome. The Board finds that the evidence supports this rating as it includes incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome lasting at least six weeks during the past twelve months.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and verifying the Veteran's car accident stressor. The Appellant's claim for recognition of K. K. S. as a dependent child is also being addressed.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, effective since April 12, 2010. The rating reflects significant impairment in most areas due to symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty establishing effective relationships.