Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD with secondary major depressive disorder and history of substance dependence is denied as there was no formal or informal claim filed prior to March 10, 2004.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability and granted it, finding that an unspecified depressive disorder is etiologically related to active service. The TDIU issue remains pending as the rating for the psychiatric disability needs to be assigned first.

The Veteran's MDD is rated at 30% from May 22, 2009 to July 17, 2012 and at 70% thereafter. The RO restored the 100% rating for hepatitis C effective January 1, 2010. SMC at the housebound rate is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA disability determination(s) and associated medical records, providing a VA examination of the feet and skin to evaluate the nature and current severity of his service-connected bilateral foot callosities, and readjudicating the claims based on the updated evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed major depressive disorder began in service and has persisted since then, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, hepatitis C, and major depressive disorder. The claim for PTSD was reopened but still denied due to lack of a verified in-service stressor. The claim for hepatitis C was not reopened as new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. Major depressive disorder was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depressive disorder and anxiety, is causally related to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with major depressive disorder has been rated at 70 percent disabling since January 21, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence shows total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as flat affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty in establishing effective relationships.

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent rating. The appeal for an initial rating higher than 50 percent is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder, was not caused by an event, disease, or injury during active service and is otherwise etiologically unrelated to active service. The claim for residuals of a pelvic injury was also denied as there was no evidence linking any current disability to his in-service separation of the pelvis at the pubic ligament.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder has been rated at 70 percent since May 5, 2010. The rating is based on the criteria for a higher evaluation due to increased symptoms and impairment.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent since January 22, 2009. The effective date for the award of TDIU is set to July 20, 2009.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's major depressive disorder is related to his period of service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's mood disorder with anxiety and depression was initially rated at 10 percent prior to September 18, 2013. From September 18, 2013, the rating was increased to 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Veteran's initial claims for higher ratings for his knee disabilities were denied. However, he was granted temporary total evaluations due to right and left total knee replacements.,His claims of service connection for a left ankle disability and a right ankle disability have been reopened.

The Veteran's chronic vasomotor rhinitis with recurrent epistaxis is found to be related to service, and service connection for this condition is granted. The Board finds that additional development is needed for the remaining issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, headaches, and sleep apnea have been denied as secondary to Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL).,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a mood disorder (claimed as depression) has also been denied as secondary to VHL.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability and headaches were previously denied, but new evidence was submitted that raises the possibility of reopening these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety and depression), erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, and several types of neuropathy. The decision was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for further development due to outstanding private treatment records and VA treatment records.