Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's major depressive disorder prior to December 30, 2009 was manifested by symptoms of mild impairment in social and occupational functioning. The current rating reflects the severity of his disability at that time.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records from the 106th General Hospital and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if his current psychiatric disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD and MDD was denied as there is no evidence that she filed a formal or informal claim prior to July 29, 2009.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and MDD was denied based on the current symptomatology not meeting criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA Rating Schedule.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to January 12, 2010 was denied as her service-connected disabilities did not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The VA reduced the appellant's rating for depressive disorder from 100% to 0%, effective October 1, 2010, due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying a claimed PTSD stressor. A new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a pelvic disorder has been dismissed as the claim is moot due to the grant of service connection in a February 2015 rating decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of myotonic dystrophy, a psychiatric disorder (anxiety/depression), gastrointestinal disorder (chronic pancreatitis), dermatological and/or allergic disorder affecting the bilateral hands, and neurological disorder (paralysis agitans). The appeals are granted.

The Board has ordered a supplemental opinion to address the Veteran's diagnoses of depression and ADHD, as well as whether they pre-existed service or were aggravated by service. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including reactive depression and parasomnia. The evidence did not support a finding that any current psychiatric condition was incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C, rash on penis (claimed as genital herpes), circumcision of phimosis due to venereal warts, penis, osteophytes in the lumbar spine, depression, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing documents in his electronic claims file, including those from prior to September 2011. He has requested a videoconference hearing before the Board at the Los Angeles, California RO.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has not been manifested by daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia with weight loss or other indication of malnutrition, and hepatomegaly; or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest and treatment by a physician having a total duration of four weeks or more in a 12-month period. Therefore, the criteria for an initial rating greater than 20 percent have not been satisfied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, was granted. The decision is based on the merits of his case without invoking any specific presumption or secondary condition.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current psychiatric disorder (other than a personality disorder) and therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of TBI is pending and not decided.,Service connection was granted for chronic kidney disease (CKD) effective January 16, 2009. The Veteran's PTSD with MDD disability rating remains at 70 percent.,PTSD with MDD disability ratings have been denied since February 26, 2014.,The Veteran was granted an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for migraine headaches effective May 28, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and mood disorder, are related to his military service.

The Veteran's GERD and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed depression) are found to be related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II has been rated at 20 percent since November 2006. Effective August 2015, the rating is increased to 40 percent.,Service connection for hypertension was denied as not due to herbicide exposure or being secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection for hepatitis A has been denied.,Service connection for a skin disorder has been denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and trypanophobia) has been denied. Service connection was granted for PTSD, but the Veteran's claim for service connection of his acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to PTSD remains pending.,Service connection for alcoholism as secondary to PTSD has not been established.,TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, is related to his military service. The examiner will provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not that the condition began during or was otherwise caused by his military service.