Depression Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability did not have its onset in service and was not caused or aggravated by his active military service. The claim for acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression) is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a supplemental medical opinion from the examiner who conducted his June 2013 VA psychiatric examination.

The Board found that the evidence received since the March 2006 rating decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability, and thus is not new and material. As such, the claim may not be reopened.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected depression and residuals of ovarian cysts and adhesions were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new disability ratings.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability has been rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The claim for TDIU is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities are not service-connected. The acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder) is also denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for gastritis and reopening the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension have been granted. However, his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression is granted. His claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 60 percent for prostate cancer status post radical prostatectomy remains denied.

The Veteran is not competent to handle his VA benefits due to mental health issues and financial mismanagement, as determined by multiple medical evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder and a rating in excess of 20 percent for thoracolumbar scoliosis were denied. The claim seeking a compensable rating for MDD remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion to determine the etiology of the Veteran's migraine headaches.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a travel board hearing.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed for the following issues: entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD; entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for irritable bowel syndrome; and entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hemorrhoids. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to August 28, 2012 is also dismissed.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is etiologically related to his service-connected low back disability. The Board has determined that a rating higher than 20 percent for the low back disability prior to April 22, 2014, is warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective May 9, 2014. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a rating of 30 percent for his service-connected depressive disorder since August 4, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, cognitive impairment, and paranoid delusional disorder, is at least as likely as not related to his military service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities met the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU, and the collective evidence on the question of whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have since prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment is relatively evenly balanced.