Depression Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD with panic disorder and depressive disorder has been productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as a blunted affect; intrusive thoughts; occasional visual hallucinations; memory impairment; sleep difficulty; extreme anger; and difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. For the entire rating period on appeal prior to February 24, 2014, the criteria for the 50 percent rating have been approximated.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depression, dysthymic disorder and adjustment disorder, is being remanded due to inadequate examination in the May 2014 Board decision. Additional VA treatment records are needed, as well as a new addendum opinion from the examiner.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and undiagnosed illnesses. The case is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for a Board video-conference hearing at the El Paso VA facility as soon as possible after April 2015. The Veteran requested additional time due to obtaining new evidence and wishes to attend his hearing at the El Paso VA facility.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical information regarding whether any acquired psychiatric disorder clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. The Veteran's claim for service connection is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.,The Veteran's vertigo is related to military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms more closely approximate a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depression is related to his service and grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD.

The Board has determined that the reduction in the disability rating for the Veteran's mood disorder from 30 percent to 10 percent effective July 1, 2013 was not warranted. The decision also found that the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability have been met.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and depression, but denied them on their merits.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his major depressive disorder with schizoaffective disorder was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including depression, panic disorder with agoraphobia, schizophrenia, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her current psychiatric, heart, lung, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The claims will be re-evaluated after this process.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD with depression was denied, as the evidence did not show clear and unmistakable error in a 1971 rating decision.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction was denied because there is no service-connected condition to which it can be linked.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, depression and ADD is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety is denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis related to his active service or any service-connected condition. His erectile dysfunction was not determined to be secondary to his service-connected prostatitis. As such, the Veteran's SMC claim based on loss of use of a creative organ is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by her active military service.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy and an effective date prior to November 1, 2010. Other claims were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of bilateral inguinal hernias status post herniorrhaphy, including residual scars, are rated at 10 percent. The Veteran is also granted an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder (major depression and PTSD).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's depressive disorder and alcohol consumption during service.