Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's case is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder, anxiety, depression, dysthymia, and posttraumatic stress disorder, remains on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is rated at 50 percent for the period prior to April 11, 2007. The back injury is not service-connected and does not affect his ability to work.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current heart condition, psychiatric conditions, hernias, neck pain, bone spurs, and joint pain are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and PTSD with alcohol abuse have been productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, prostate cancer, and hepatitis C, are found to be at least as likely as not preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. As his combined rating was 80% prior to August 1, 2012, the claim is granted for this period.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety. The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development of his Reserve service records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the assignment of separate disability ratings for arthritis of the right and left feet was dismissed due to a finding of clear and unmistakable error. The RO reduced the two separate 10 percent ratings to one single 10 percent rating for bilateral foot arthritis, effective from November 1, 2013.

The Board found no credible in-service stressors and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective June 24, 2010. The case was remanded to obtain an opinion regarding the impact of service-connected depression and low back disabilities on the Veteran's ability to function in work-related tasks prior to August 21, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, are service-connected due to exposure to military sexual trauma in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for depression, diabetes mellitus type II, and obesity. The Veteran's depression was rated as 70 percent disabling based on occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board found that the character of the Veteran's service from April 5, 1971 to August 6, 1973 is not a bar to VA benefits due to compelling circumstances. The Veteran was granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examiner found no evidence of a link between the current psychiatric symptoms and military sexual trauma.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, has resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms of severity, frequency, and duration most nearly approximating the 70 percent rating criteria. The Veteran is therefore granted a 70 percent initial rating for his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection for PTSD and Depressive Disorder, with both conditions being related to military sexual trauma experienced during his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headache disorder and psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, were not incurred or aggravated during her active service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

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

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric condition that is shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is being remanded due to the need to consider other diagnosed conditions and ensure all relevant evidence has been obtained.

The Veteran's claim for DEA benefits was denied because his service-connected disabilities did not meet the requirement of permanent and total disability. The RO proposed to reduce his 100 percent rating for depressive disorder, but a TDIU rating has been granted. The case is being remanded to determine if the current severity of his service-connected disabilities are reasonably certain to continue throughout his life.