Depression Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and adjustment disorder, finding that there was no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Veteran's reported in-service stressors were not supported by contemporaneous medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder but found insufficient evidence to establish service connection for anxiety disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is not shown to have been incurred in service or otherwise be the result of service. The combined rating for his service-connected disabilities does not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's MDD resulted in total occupational and social impairment from the date of his Board hearing on November 24, 2014. The March 2015 VA examination corroborated the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms reported at the hearing.

The Veteran's appeal to increase the rating for his service-connected depressive disorder, NOS was dismissed as he withdrew from further consideration of this issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran did not provide credible supporting evidence to substantiate his claimed in-service stressor.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence to support it. The Veteran's current diagnoses of schizophrenia, mood disorder NOS, and depression are related to an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, currently diagnosed as depressive disorder, is found to be service-connected. The claim for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and antisocial personality disorder has been reopened. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim.

The Veteran's service connection for a depressive disorder is granted. The rating for lumbosacral strain with lumbosacral DDD remains at 20 percent, and the initial rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity from February 14, 2011, to July 28, 2013, is granted at 10 percent. The rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity since July 29, 2013, is granted at 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including issuance of a SOC on the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and provision of an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorder(s) on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal as he has passed away.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal regarding the increased rating for depressive disorder and PTSD prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including anxiety and depression, was granted. The Board found that the Veteran had an anxiety disorder during his military service which was exacerbated by events of service.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for additional development, including obtaining VET CENTER records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's depression symptoms and disability picture are of the level of severity contemplated by a 50 percent disability rating, which contemplates occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that his depression meets or approximates the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, is found to be secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent for generalized anxiety disorder and depression has been granted, effective from February 23, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition has been reopened and is now pending before the Board.,Her claim for service connection for psychiatric disability (claimed as depression) has also been reopened. The Board finds that she has PTSD related to her service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and granted it as secondary to a service-connected disability. Service connection is also granted for diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure during service, effective from September 1972 when the Veteran visited Vietnam. The right leg disability is not separately service connected.