Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was rated at 10 percent effective September 22, 2015. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder has been rated at a 50 percent disability rating since April 9, 2006. This reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a Social Industrial Survey and obtaining records of vocational services discussions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for Achilles tendonitis due to withdrawal by the appellant. The Veteran's anxiety and depressive disorders are found to be related to his in-service traumatic experience, while sleep apnea is considered to have developed during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder has been withdrawn by his representative prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal requires additional development and remand, including for a VA examination to determine if his depression is related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The claims for increased ratings of left ankle DJD and lumbar DDD also require further development.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's claim for PTSD to include all acquired psychiatric disorders. The case is REMANDED due to inadequate VA examination and need for additional medical findings on causation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining verification of in-service stressors and medical records, as well as a VA examination to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of the case.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected major depressive disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that there is at least a reasonable doubt as to whether the Veteran's major depressive disorder was incurred during his active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 70%, which meets the threshold for a TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, is proximately due to or the result of his right shoulder joint replacement. The Board finds that service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether his condition was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of a head injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment records and the need to consider all submitted evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current mood disorder was caused by substance abuse and no other psychiatric disability has been present during the period of the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disability (to include anxiety and depression) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected low back disorder.