Depression Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA examiners' opinions were inadequate and remanded for further development. The claim is being returned to the AOJ for additional examination and opinion.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right elbow disability. The Veteran was diagnosed with right elbow lateral epicondylitis, and his symptoms have been at least in equipoise as to whether they are related to active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of a sleep disorder related to her active duty.,Her claim for an increased rating for her psychiatric disorder, which includes bipolar disorder with depression and panic disorder without agoraphobia, remains pending. The current 70% rating reflects occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals regarding the right shoulder disability from July 29, 2009, and posterior anal fissure.

The Veteran's service-connected depression has been granted and is currently rated at 70 percent, effective September 26, 2006. The condition produces occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private mental health treatment records and a new opinion on whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his PTSD with depression.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and depressive disorder contributed substantially to his death from a probable myocardial infarction due to hypertension. As such, the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is moot.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining new opinions based on the newly obtained evidence and providing notice of potential sources of corroborating evidence.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and granted it as directly incurred in service. The Veteran's statements regarding symptoms of auditory hallucinations during service are considered credible, and thus his current psychiatric disability is found to have begun during service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, dysthymia with anxiety features, and depressive disorder, is currently evaluated at a 50 percent rating. The Board has determined that the evidence supports an increase to a 70 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The Board also found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including major depressive disorder.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an updated VA examination assessing the combined impact of all service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's employability. The appeal is currently in a pending status.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for De Quervain's tenosynovitis, left wrist was dismissed due to the RO severing service connection for this condition effective February 1, 2011 on the basis of CUE.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a mental disorder, including major depressive disorder, has been granted. The claims of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and sleep apnea have also been reopened and are pending further development.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for major depressive disorder and diabetes mellitus, type II are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and treatment records, as well as inextricably intertwined issues of TDIU.

The Veteran's cause of death is not service-connected as the preexisting condition was not aggravated by service.