Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection of any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and providing a supplemental opinion regarding the 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with new VA examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a mental health examination. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated based on all evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability has been granted, with the assigned rating of 20 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, headaches, and a psychiatric disability (depression). The evidence does not support these claims as his current conditions are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including schizophrenia, dysthymia, major depression with psychotic features, and schizoid personality disorder, are related to his service. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is found to have begun in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD resulted in occupational and social impairment, but not to the extent that would warrant a higher rating prior to June 17, 2011. From June 17, 2011, the impairment was sufficient for a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's depression is found to be as likely as not incurred during his active service, and the claim for service connection for depression is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder is granted, and his lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, primarily depression and anxiety, has been rated based on the severity of symptoms. The VA determined that the current level of impairment does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 6, 2009 for the grant of service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol dependence is granted. The earliest possible effective date is February 8, 2006.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 6, 2009 for TDIU is denied as he did not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU prior to February 8, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression was granted, effective August 20, 2014. The rating assigned is 30 percent.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD with sleep disturbances, depressive disorder, alcohol abuse, and anxiety disorder, is warranted. The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD under the DSM-IV and there is no probative evidence that controverts that diagnosis. He has also been diagnosed with a host of other mental health disorders. It is uncontroverted that experienced stressors during his deployment to Iraq. Finally, the September 2015 VA examiner has related the Veteran's mental health symptoms to those stressors experienced during service. As the reasonable doubt created by this relative equipoise in the evidence must be resolved in favor of the Veteran, entitlement to service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and records, as well as a supplemental opinion from the examiner.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection, initial rating for major depressive disorder, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is required to obtain a VA addendum opinion regarding the lower back injury claim, obtain updated VA treatment records from December 1, 2015 through the present, provide the Veteran with a VA psychiatric examination to determine the current nature and severity of his major depressive disorder, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his lack of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to verify specific PTSD stressors and other aspects of the Veteran's service history.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression has been rated at 70 percent since December 23, 2008. Effective March 20, 2015, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.