Depression Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, asthma, a deviated septum, nasal polyps, right eye polyps, depression, and a right eardrum rupture. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim of service connection for headaches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression, as well as his claim for an effective date earlier than August 1, 2008, to establish his wife as a dependent for VA compensation benefits purposes, are denied. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment and personnel records from the Veteran's Army Reserve service. A VA psychiatric examination is also required to determine if any current psychiatric disorder had its onset during active duty or is related to in-service disease, event, or injury.

The Veteran's PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder have been rated at 30 percent, the minimum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The Board finds that the evidence supports a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA treatment records. The Veteran is also to be scheduled for a VA psychiatric examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorders are related to service.

For the entire appeal period, the service-connected depression NOS is productive of a disability picture that more nearly approximates occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, due to symptoms including depressed mood, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, flattened affect, and disturbances of motivation and mood, with a GAF score between 60 and 65. There is no evidence reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death, and no decisions were made on any of the issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from Dr. Hughes and Dr. Fay regarding the Veteran's condition prior to December 31, 2008, and determining when it became factually ascertainable that the Veteran had a relapse of his acute myelogenous leukemia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for another VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his psychiatric disorder, including whether any diagnosed conditions are related to service or pre-existed service.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder and insomnia resulted in occupational and social deficiencies, warranting a 70 percent rating. His bilateral hearing loss is not compensable. The Veteran was granted service connection for his headache disability and right ankle disability but denied service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression and cognitive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective May 6, 2014. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a higher rating prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including as secondary to his service-connected acne vulgaris with scarring, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's post-traumatic headaches as residuals of TBI are rated at 30 percent, effective from April 12, 2011.

The Board found that the appellant's current psychiatric disorders did not start during his military service and are not related to any in-service events. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, during the pendency of the appeal. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, dizziness and vertigo, a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 20, 2011, and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his major depressive disorder and determine if he qualifies for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA treatment records, scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected left shoulder disability, major depressive disorder, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, and providing a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has determined that service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive and bipolar disorders, is not warranted. Service treatment records do not document any psychiatric symptoms or diagnoses during active duty. The Veteran's current psychiatric conditions are diagnosed post-service and the VA examiner found no nexus to his in-service alcoholism. For the right hand and elbow neuropathy claims, service connection is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service. However, service connection for residuals of a right thumb laceration and a right elbow scar is granted with respective 10% ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to conflicting opinions on whether a valid diagnosis of PTSD can be established and if the Veteran's anxiety disorder is related to service or service-related stressors.