Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify the nature of his psychiatric and eye conditions, including whether he was exposed to gas chambers during service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, arthritis, and acquired psychiatric disorder other than depression are all found to be related to his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the Veteran, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, is etiologically related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disorder are not related to his military service. The psychiatric disorder is also denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a psychiatric examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, clarifying his employment history since March 2014, and providing a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder results in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's PTSD has not resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating higher than the current 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current TBI and psychiatric disorders are related to his service, including multiple in-service head injuries. The claim for a neck injury is also remanded.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent prior to May 1, 2014 and from that date forward. The symptoms include moderate to severe anxiety, depression, decreased energy, crying spells, insomnia, anger, irritability issues, but without total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of testicular trauma, a depressive disorder, and a stomach disorder were denied. The claim for PTSD was not granted.,New evidence received since the last denial does not relate to unestablished facts or raise the reasonable possibility of substantiating any of these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to January 7, 2008. Effective January 7, 2008, the right shoulder disability alone met the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's mood disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's Raynaud's disease has been found to be unrelated to service. Since January 31, 2012, when he was granted service connection for his mood disorder, the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for internal hemorrhoids, keratoconus of both eyes, and sinusitis. The acquired psychiatric disorder claim is pending as the evidence does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 50 percent, the maximum available rating under Diagnostic Code 5276. The other issues have been denied.

The Veteran's PTSD has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70 percent rating.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims on appeal can be decided. This includes obtaining outstanding VA and private medical records, service personnel records, SSA records, and arranging for a VA psychiatric examination.