Depression Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding eye conditions and psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current headaches and psychiatric disorders are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's depression with pain and adjustment disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment, warranting a 50 percent rating effective September 2, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, hypertensive nephrosclerosis, and depression as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed, was manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to psychiatric symptomatology from October 20, 2006 to December 26, 2012. A 70 percent rating is warranted for this period.

The Board has expanded the Veteran's claim to include all acquired psychiatric disorders and is remanding the case for further development, including scheduling a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, updated VA treatment records, and SSA disability benefit determinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits records. The Veteran is also given an opportunity to report for a VA examination.

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, are related to his service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to address whether the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, left eye disability, and TDIU claim are related to his service. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether these conditions were aggravated by his ACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for PTSD with panic disorder and depression was denied by the Board. The current ratings are 30 percent prior to May 8, 2009; 50 percent from May 8, 2009, through November 10, 2014; and 70 percent since November 17, 2014.

The Veteran's chronic headaches are rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of claim. The Board denied service connection for residuals of TBI and bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and depression.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, depression, was not shown to be related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and is granting it.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD (anxiety and depression) was granted. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for PTSD was not perfected due to the Veteran's failure to respond to the statement of the case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for service connection purposes due to his bilateral hearing loss, as there is no evidence of a hearing loss disability during service or within one year after separation. The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints or findings of hearing loss until 1973, which was well after separation from active duty.,The Board has determined that the Veteran does have a current disability for service connection purposes due to his bladder cancer, as he served in Vietnam and is presumed exposed to Agent Orange. The February 2016 private medical opinion supports this finding.

The Veteran's GAD prior to June 22, 2011 resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and MDD have resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including work, social relations, and mood. The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD with MDD effective from April 30, 2008.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is currently rated at 70 percent, effective October 20, 2014. The rating reflects significant impairment in work and social functioning.