Depression Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and depression are related to his military service, including being in fear of enemy fire during service in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, not otherwise specified, has been rated at 30 percent based on occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal regarding the reduction of his disability rating from 30% to 10% for restrictive lung disease, effective October 1, 2012. The remaining claims are addressed in a separate remand.

The Board finds that the reduction of the rating for Traumatic Brain Injury from 70% to 10%, effective October 1, 2012, was proper as it did not result in a reduction of compensation payments.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as anxiety disorder and depression, is etiologically related to service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Depression and degenerative joint diseases, do not render him unemployable as he is currently employed.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, is being remanded due to inadequate examination findings. The case will be returned to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) after obtaining additional information about his stressors and VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's major depressive disorder is at least as likely as not etiologically related to his service-connected acne and acne scar residuals, thus granting the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is shown to have caused total occupational and social impairment, warranting a rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's dermatitis is rated at 60 percent, and his major depression secondary to service-connected dermatitis is granted. The TDIU issue remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression and PTSD. The claim for depression was denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted, and there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD. The claim for PTSD was also denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence that an in-service stressor occurred.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability and granted service connection on a secondary basis to his service-connected hearing loss. The Veteran's current mood disturbance is at least as likely as not connected to his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected psychiatric disabilities. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, are related to service. The examiner will need to provide opinions regarding the relationship of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and residuals of a gunshot wound to the left foot are due to his own willful misconduct, specifically alcohol abuse. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed left knee disability, and his service-connected lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings. The Veteran's tinea pedis is rated appropriately, as are his hearing loss and CTS. His acquired psychiatric disorder, right ankle condition, and head injury with headaches and myofascial pain syndrome do not warrant increased ratings. Finally, the Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, personality disorder, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for further development due to failure to comply with previous instructions, including a VA psychiatric examination. The case is now being returned to the AOJ for additional review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding insufficient evidence to establish a current disability and attributing any current mental health issues to his personality disorder.