Depression Board decisions

The Board found no evidence that the veteran's death was caused by VA treatment or negligence, and thus denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression with psychotic features and schizoaffective disorder, had its onset during active service. Therefore, service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's depression is not due to disease or injury incurred in service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for elbow pain, headaches, liver and abdominal pain, and major depressive disorder due to a lack of objective indications of these conditions during or since service.

The Board found that the appellant's depression and heart disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied her claims.

The veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from September 1 to September 2, 2004. The case is being remanded due to the need for clarification on Medicare payments and outstanding balances, a request for a VA opinion regarding whether any condition treated was related to her service-connected disabilities, and the need to verify the veteran's contentions about ambulance diversion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions of depression, hypertension, and asthma were not incurred or aggravated by active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's dysthymic disorder warrants a disability rating of 50 percent, effective February 10, 2004.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD and insufficient supporting evidence for the veteran's claimed in-service stressors. The preponderance of the evidence did not support service connection for any psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for depression, sleep apnea, and a chronic respiratory disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder, finding no legal basis for a prior effective date.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia, chronic, undifferentiated type; depression endogenous (claimed as a nervous disorder) to include as secondary to service connected diabetes mellitus type II, hearing loss, and otitis media.

The Board has determined that the veteran's depressive disorder is related to her service in Kuwait and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for psychiatric disorder, claimed as adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for and assigned initial ratings of 10 percent each for patellofemoral syndrome of the right and left knees, effective September 13, 2004.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The claimant's acne vulgaris of the face was also denied a higher rating.

The veteran's additional physical disability, including right C5-6 cervical radiculopathy and psychiatric disorder, is not deemed to be the result of carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault by VA. The Board finds that there was no event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine whether the veteran is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, including now-service-connected psychiatric disability. The veteran's claim of entitlement to TDIU remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, PTSD, major depressive disorder, and an initial compensable evaluation for a right ankle disability. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection for a back disability were remanded.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current back disability or depression that is service-connected, and denied both claims.